Breakeven
by serafina19
Summary: When Chloe and Oliver's path unexpectedly cross, they soon realize that letting go of what happened between them is harder than they thought. Sequel to "In the Grip of a Hurricane."
1. Chapter 1

**Timeline**: AU, but I dabble (and mess) with canon events.  
**Warning: **Coarse language

* * *

**Breakeven**

"Put away the dress Lois. I'm not wearing it."

Chloe had to give her cousin credit, as for once, the dress she had chosen wasn't terribly inappropriate. The purple strapless number was simple, classic and wouldn't make her look like a fool. However, she still wasn't going to wear it.

Lois frowned as she turned the hanger in her hand. She thought she had hit a home run with this one. "Come on cuz. It's not that bad."

Standing up from her computer, Chloe walked over to her kitchen to fill up her coffee. "I'm not going tonight, you know this." She took a sip, scoffing as she reminded herself of the various reasons why it was a terrible idea to go. "Besides, isn't Jimmy covering the photos?"

Lois shrugged as she set the dress down on the table. "So flirt with some billionaire boy and make them _both _jealous." She had tried to respect Chloe's privacy, only prodding as many times as necessary, but her patience was running thin.

The entire week, it had been about the job hunt. Lois was half-convinced that Chloe hadn't eaten, but she shrugged it off, saying that everything was okay, but she just didn't see that it really wasn't. Mrs. Kent's campaign gala had been on their calendars for almost three weeks now, and Lois had hoped it would be the chance for Chloe to get some fresh air. But here she was, fighting tooth and nail with her.

Then again, it didn't help that Lois' solution was the _last _thing Chloe wanted to do; she had enough of flirting with billionaire boys to last a lifetime. "Why do you need me there anyway?"

"Moral support," Lois replied easily, noticing that Chloe's skeptical eyebrow was firmly in place. "You know the ex that came to town last week?"

Chloe pretended to think about it for a second as she set down her mug. "The one you've told me nothing about... rings a bell." Before she got fired, Lois had mentioned something about her ex coming to see her. All Chloe knew was that they dated six months and Lois ended it because he seemed too distant. What that had to with now, Chloe couldn't explain. "So?"

"Well, he's coming tonight." It was the truth, Lois just didn't want to get into the details, because the moment she did, Chloe would likely spin into lecture-mode and then still refuse to come.

However, there were still consequences to keeping thing simple. "If I've learned anything in life, it's that Lois Lane can handle her own battles." After all, Lois said everything had gone just fine, that she had overreacted and that they were on better terms. All that lead to one conclusion. "You need me there as much as I want to go tonight."

Lois crossed her arms, all but giving in, but not backing down. "So what's the plan then? Email your resume into the black hole of the Internet?" Tilting her heard towards the computer, she had already noticed the internet browsers and documents. "Because that's all you've done this past week."

Sighing, Chloe returned to her desk, not expecting Lois to understand. "Getting blacklisted means I've got to work twice as hard." It was hard to see rejection, or more accurately, the sounds of crickets chirping in the background as far as her professional life was concerned, but Chloe knew she would find her way out of this.

Having enough, Lois walked over to turn Chloe's chair around so she'd pay attention. "Just tonight, cuz. I'll... I'll stop asking about your one night stand."

Eyebrows raising at the offer, Chloe had to ask, "You're that desperate?" It had been five days since Lois had caught Chloe coming home and her cousin hadn't let her forget it just yet. If it wasn't about leaving the apartment, it was one bad sexual metaphor after another.

Except Lois was that desperate. With nothing going on in Chloe's life, it was the fall back conversation topic. Sure, Lois enjoyed teasing her cousin, but even she had her limits. More than anything, Lois wanted to see Chloe do anything else. "You deserve a night off."

Staring straight at her cousin, Chloe could see the sincerity in her eyes. She pulled her chair back, knowing that facing Clark and Jimmy was far from her list of things to do. Not only that, but her last night out also didn't end quite the way she expected. Standing up, Chloe walked around Lois and picked up her dress. "Fine, but you are backing off."

Sighing in relief, Lois raced towards her, giving her a tight hug. "I can agree to those terms." Backing away, she grabbed Chloe's hand, dragging her to her bedroom to get ready.

**~0~**

It didn't take long for Chloe to regret coming. Conversations she could have deflected, bad puns she could have groaned at, but this, actually standing here, it made Chloe believe that she had made the wrong decision. Don't get her wrong, she was glad for the positive press for Mrs. Kent, especially after Mr. Kent suddenly passed away. It was a tough couple of months for everyone and Chloe, in her true nature, made sure that she was there for Clark. Now, she wanted nothing to do with him, but the world didn't work that way.

He spotted them quickly and walked over to Chloe and Lois, looking great in his tux as always and sporting his stupid boyish grin.

But before he had a chance to say anything, as he hadn't expected Chloe tonight, she decided to fill in the blanks. "I figured it was best for me to be here... for your mom."

Clark nodded, not wanting to press the issue any further. "You both look great."

"Don't we?" Lois replied, staring down at her silver and black gown that definitely stood out amongst the crowd. However, it didn't take long for Lois to grab Chloe's arm and start walking away from Clark. "Now excuse us Smallville, we have work to do."

Chloe could hear him chuckle under his breath as they walked away, causing Chloe to roll her eyes. "Subtle cuz." All things considered, Clark had actually been fairly considerate through all this, giving her the space that she asked for, and only texting her to check if she was okay. With time, Chloe knew she'd forgive him, she always did. But this time, he oddly deserved it.

Noticing that Chloe was still looking over her shoulder at Clark, who had moved on in the crowd, Lois tugged harder at her cousin's arm. "I'm sure he'll survive."

That concept was one Chloe had no trouble believing and she was quick to move on, stepping in front of Lois as she scanned the crowd. "Okay, so who's the ex? I'm obviously meeting him tonight, so you might as well spill." She had to admit, it was going to be nice to talk about Lois' love life again, or rather, anyone else's love life.

But that was before Lois pointed her finger towards a group in the crowd. "Him."

Chloe's eyes widened as she noticed where Lois was pointing. "_Him?_" It couldn't be right, it _couldn't _be him, but there was only one other guy in the vicinity and he was old enough to be their father. She wanted to find another answer, any other option, but when she noticed Oliver about to turn towards them, Chloe whirled around, wanting to disappear.

Lois figured the reveal would be a little surprising to Chloe, but every since she had spoke her surprise, Chloe started acting really odd. Her breathing had clearly increased and she was doing everything in her power to keep herself from looking back over there. "Are you okay, cuz?"

She nodded shakily, wondering why he was here. Chloe never indulged herself in the _Inquisitor, _but she made an exception to ensure that she never saw him again. But it wasn't to be, as she heard his voice from behind her. "Lois, looking lovely as always."

Lois' head popped up, still curious about what had come over Chloe, but she wasn't about to be rude either. "Oliver...you look well."

He smiled back before glancing down at the blonde in front of him. This was an interesting coincidence that they both ended up here tonight. "I am doing well, thank you." Stepping closer to the duo, Oliver turned his attention to the other woman. No doubt about it, it was definitely her. "And you are… ?" he asked, knowing she couldn't hide her anonymity anymore.

However, that didn't stop Chloe from trying as silence filled the air for a few seconds. Confused, Lois looked over to her cousin as she waited for Chloe to introduce herself, but it didn't happen. All her cousin did was stand there with a slightly dumbfounded look on her face. "Chloe?"

She blinked a couple times and tried to accept the fact that this was reality. Knowing the cat was out of the bag, she shook it off. "Sorry, I'm... a little blindsided that's all." Holding out her hand firmly, Chloe stared into Oliver's eyes, hoping, _praying _Oliver wouldn't mention anything.

"Well…Chloe," Oliver said, grin wide on his face as he shook her hand. "It's good to meet you."

Every part of Chloe's being wanted to glare at him, or at least roll her eyes. However, she held her cool and watched him walk away, which in some ways, was fortunate for her.

Of course, that wouldn't be the last she would hear of it, as Lois was right in her face. "Since when do you get starstruck?" She had never seen her cousin so fazed by a billionaire before, especially considering she grew up with Lex. Not to mention the fact that, before her demotion at the _Daily Planet_, Chloe had made it her mission to destroy dirty billionaire CEOs. Now, she was acting like a gun-shy teenager.

But that was because Lois had no clue what was really going on in Chloe's head. "I was a little thrown off okay?" It was her story and Chloe would stick to it, as there were a few burning questions her cousin needed to answer. "Since _when _do you date Oliver Queen?" More importantly in Chloe's mind, "And why didn't you tell me?"

Her cousin had a point. To an extent, Lois was kind of embarrassed of the idea of her dating Oliver Queen, but he proved to be more than a public figure. "We kept things pretty quiet. The man can be stealthy if he needs to be." Almost too stealthy, as one minute, they'd be enjoying a dinner, the next... he was gone. Lois never saw herself as needy, but it didn't feel like she was enough for Oliver, so she left him. "As for why I didn't tell you, things... never got that serious."

Chloe scoffed, as six months in his world likely was serious. "But he came back into town to see you."

Shaking her head, Lois replied, "That was secondary, as he had his own business to attend to. We didn't have any closure after I moved out here, that's all the visit was."

Chloe wasn't sure on that front, because if she was right, things were coming clearer about how they met in the first place. "When was this?"

"He came to the _Planet _right before you were fired." In fact, it was the only reason that Lois had missed Chloe leaving the _Daily Planet_. Normally, she would have seen her come back to her desk, but not wanting to deal with the nosy staff members, Lois took Oliver outside where they handled everything. "Why do you ask?"

Because Oliver said that he came to Metropolis for something that didn't work out and now that she what that was, Chloe couldn't believe her luck. Even when it seemed like she went completely outside of her comfort zone and completely outside the circle of people in her life, she finds a way to _still _be a man's second choice. Not that she _wanted _to be his first choice, but this kind of news was the last thing she needed.

Lois had seen someone from work that she wanted to talk to, but Chloe decided to stay back. Talking about work didn't appeal when the place of work was where she was fired a week ago.

Except when she turned around, she felt herself bump shoulders with someone else. Initially, Chloe wanted to keep walking, but instead, of all people, she heard Jimmy say, "Excuse me, I'm so –" He stopped as he noticed Chloe in front of him. "I... didn't think you were coming."

Chloe managed a grin before saying, "Or else you wouldn't have taken the assignment?"

He grimaced slightly as he tilted his head. "Something like that."

After a sigh, Chloe held out her hand. It had only been a month since their break-up, a relatively mutual one at that, and they were almost acting as if the other had the plague. "Jimmy, this is ridiculous. How about we start over?"

"You know, that sounds great." Jimmy shook her hand almost instantly, feeling relief him even as he let go. "How are you?"

Chloe shrugged as she peered around the room. "I've had better days, but I'm surviving." At this point, that was about all she could say.

Hearing that, Jimmy's smile fell, as he could understand a portion of her disappointment. "I am sorry, by the way. About your job."

The sentiment was appreciated but the word was becoming an unnecessary catchphrase. If it was anyone else other than Jimmy at this point, Chloe would have reacted a little harsher. Instead, she shrugged it off again. "No need, it wasn't your fault."

Jimmy knew that, and he could see that he touched a nerve, but he had a feeling her words weren't completely true. "Lex didn't use our break-up as an excuse did he?"

Chloe didn't want to go there, but she didn't want to lie either. After a slow nod, she admitted it was, "One of six bogus reasons he fired me." Chloe never understood why he had to insist on listing them like they were in middle school. Lex probably thought he was rubbing salt in the wounds, but in truth, it was just pathetic.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find work elsewhere."

"Thanks Jimmy." Of everyone in her life, he had been the first one who jumped from the clichéd apology to actual faith in her ability. She did feel bad for the way things ended between her and Jimmy, but Chloe knew now... it would never work out. But she was grateful for this, a chance to be friends again.

Jimmy felt a hint of pride as he noticed a small smile embrace her features. It was something Chloe didn't do enough and a perfect reason to take his leave now while things were still positive. "Sorry, but I've got to run."

"Duty calls," Chloe said, completely understanding, but it still hurt being on the other side of that punch line. She had honestly lost count how many times she had left him for work and while her and Jimmy had made their peace, a sour taste came into her mouth as she noticed who Jimmy was walking towards.

Based on the camera around her neck, she was likely the new intern with the _Daily Planet _Jimmy had told her about. There wasn't anything happening between them yet, but sparks were brewing. From a distance, they looked downright adorable and that was a tough pill for Chloe to swallow. It was a little fast, sure, but that wasn't the point. She thought she rounded a corner, but seeing Jimmy in his element, Lois talking shop with a senator without making a fool of herself and Clark working the room brought her back to square one.

So she headed to the bar, hoping the alcohol would help Chloe pull herself together. Instead, she found there was still one person who wanted to talk to her. The problem was it was the last person she wanted to talk to.

"Well, if tonight's accomplished nothing else, I at least know your name," Oliver teased her as she took her drink from the bartender. Chloe attempted to walk away, but he followed her, adding quietly, "And why you went home with me."

Chloe stilled, peering around the room to ensure no one else had heard that. When that relief hit, Chloe scoffed at him, maintaining at least some portion of her confidence. "Don't flatter yourself Mr. Queen." Turning around, she took a couple steps towards him. "Hitting on the first thing that walks after you get dumped by my cousin…" Her voice trailed as she was reminded of how often that pattern applied to her life. "Like I told you… miserable."

Oliver grinned, as Chloe put on a good front, but he saw right through her. "Based on the looks you give Clark Kent, I'd say you and I aren't that much different, Miss Sullivan." He knew the guy from the night they met looked familiar, but Oliver had wondered what would possess him to show up at a nightclub in borderline business casual. Seeing Chloe's surprised reaction once he spoke Clark's name answered that question in half a second.

However, Chloe quickly changed the direction of the conversation. "I never gave you my last name."

He gave her a quick shrug before looking back up in the crowd. "Martha Kent was more than willing to fill in that particular blank after Lois introduced us. Although I must say," he added, leaning closer to her to whisper in her ear, "it has to suck being fired by Lex Luthor."

Ignoring the fact that the tone of his voice gave her shivers, Chloe glared up at him, as it was clear that her last name wasn't the only piece of knowledge Oliver had figured out. Except Lois or Mrs. Kent wouldn't have told him, which meant only one thing. "Do you always eavesdrop in conversations that don't concern you?"

Oliver decided not to address that rhetorical comment and keep firing. "It must also suck being blacklisted by all the local publications." It was an assumption at best, but based on Chloe's attitude and what he knew about Luthors, this would be a case where Lex would hold a grudge of some sort.

After a deep breath, she took a step back, not sure how much more of him she could tolerate, in more ways than one. With the calmest tone she could manage, she said, "Mr. Queen—"

"Oliver, please."

That wasn't happening, but Chloe gave him a small kudos for trying. "Don't worry about me, I can find my own way back into the working world." With a confident grin, she turned away from him, determined to get as far away from him as possible.

However, it seemed like Oliver was determined in saying the last word. "Well... if you change your mind, there is one place where –"

Turning her head over her shoulder, Chloe interjected, "Not going to happen."

"You know where to find me," Oliver said nonetheless, tipping his head towards her before walking away.

What he didn't know was that Chloe felt herself reconsidering her response to his offer. Sure, her relationship with Oliver Queen was complicated, but so was her relationship with Lex. And with Oliver lived a country away, she wouldn't see him that often. Even if it looked petty if she joined Queen Industries, Chloe had bills to pay and time wasn't on her side.

However, it was still a terrible idea. Nothing would change the fact she had slept with the CEO and Oliver was making it clear that he wasn't going to forget her any time soon. Chloe wasn't sure if she could live with that, not to mention the fact it would be like Oliver doing her a favour. After her dealings with Lionel, Chloe swore to herself that she would do everything to avoid owing another billionaire a favour, even if Oliver's intentions were at least a little better.

Staring at her empty glass, it was square one again. It looks like she was right after all. With one last look around the room, Chloe headed towards the door, about to leave, when she felt someone grab her arm.

"Where are you going?"

She sighed, turning her head over her shoulder to meet her cousin's eyes. "Home." Lois' hand dropped and Chloe could see her disappointment, but Chloe couldn't do this anymore. "Say hi to Mrs. Kent for me, would you?" It was actually hard to believe that in all of her conversations, the one person she hadn't talked to was the guest of honour.

However, when Lois nodded, Chloe hugged her cousin before leaving the building. What she didn't know was that a particular billionaire noticed her exit and bid goodnight not long after.

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_Sera's Scribbles: Dresses will be on my profile page._


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Why Oliver decided to follow her, he couldn't exactly explain. All he knew was that their first encounter was the most fun he had in a while, which, considering the circumstances, was quite impressive.

Then again, it wouldn't have taken too much skill to find her as she drove to a familiar place, sat at the same bar where he first saw her. The dress was upscale enough that she stood out, but not too over the top that she seemed overdressed.

"Fancy meeting you here."

Chloe groaned as she watched Oliver sit next to her. She hardly went out ever, yet now it felt like she was getting into a pattern. "So you're following me now?"

He knew better than to try and disagree with her, but he wasn't giving in either. "Trust me, you go to as many of those events than I do... exiting stage right happens earlier than you think."

"And this is your substitution?" There were fancier establishments in town, more playboy-esque experiences to be had, but no, he had to come here, again. And Chloe knew this was _far _from a coincidence.

"It works for you."

She couldn't blame him for saying that, as here she sat, dwelling and swirling another drink. Chloe honestly couldn't remember the last time in her life where she drank this much. "Explain something to me Mr. Queen. How is it you're still in Metropolis when you were supposed to leave for California three days ago?"

Oliver laughed, knowing the reaction would result in a glare in his direction, but he couldn't avoid saying, "You're reading up on me... I'm flattered." Noticing how she rolled her eyes, followed by her ordering another shot, the humour drained from his expression to ask, "Chloe, how much have you had to drink?"

"Does it matter?" she immediately replied, not sure why all of a sudden he was pretending to care about her. Chloe wasn't stupid, because a guy like him didn't follow her because he cared. Part of her felt flattered that he did follow her, but she wasn't going home with him again. She knew that much for sure.

Yet, to her surprise, Oliver pressed on after her shot glass was placed in front of her. "It does if you want to avoid getting alcohol poisoning. I can speak from personal experience, it's not fun."

Part of the playboy persona required the nights of drinking like he didn't care, except there was a time where he didn't care, when he just wanted to... forget what he knew. It was his fault, not letting sleeping dogs lie, only to find out that there was nothing he could do about it.

However, the only thing she gave was a confused expression. "Are you joining me... or are you only good for fake concern?" Chloe had no idea where that had come from, and if they were getting to deeper conversations, she was better off at home, attempting to sleep. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wished that she had stuck with her original plan.

"I'll bite," Oliver said as he gestured towards Chloe's shot glass when he caught the barkeep's attention. Seconds later, a shot glass of his own was in front of him, of what he could only assume consisted of tequila. He paid the bartender nonetheless, holding the glass towards Chloe. "What are we drinking to?"

Lifting her glass off the counter, she stared at it for a minute. What _was _she drinking for? With a sigh, she finally suggested, "To failing your expectations?"

Oliver brought up his own glass. "I can definitely drink to that." To his surprise, Chloe humoured him, clinking her glass to his and shooting it down. Yep, cheap tequila was on the menu tonight, which matches the mood of her response, but Oliver had to work to hold the cough that wanted to break out.

As the alcohol did its work, both Chloe and Oliver let the silence settle in, the failures filling their minds. It wasn't a healthy thing to dwell on, but little did they know they had that in common. Finally Chloe blurted, "Did you know I was voted most likely to succeed in high school?"

Spinning his empty shot glass on the counter, Oliver nodded. "Can't say that I'm surprised."

"One minute, I'm living the dream," she said quietly, reminiscing of the days doing what she always imagined. Finding the truth, printing it... and doing a damn good job of it. "The next, I'm suddenly Oliver Queen's drinking buddy."

Even worse was that she had focused on this path for so long that she almost didn't know who she was without a scoop. Worse case scenario, there was freelance, but it wasn't the same as walking into that bullpen, feeling the rush of knowing there's a strong chance of being published. But even before she was fired, Lex had been trying to kill the dream, demoting her to the basement. Chloe had been ready to prove him wrong, but seeing herself outside of that work life, she realized that she had no idea who she was outside of her work.

"There are worse fates," Oliver said hopefully before pushing his glass from his fingers. "Although I'm not sure there's a worse alcohol on the menu."

Raising her hand in the air for another shot, Chloe was quick to remark, "Not all of us have the funds to purchase six-figure scotch by the glass." Seeing the bartender appear in front of her, Chloe figured that she'd be taking a cab home anyway, might as well make it worth her while. Nights like these were rare, even rarer now that she was unemployed.

Watching as Chloe held up two fingers, slapping the appropriate bills on the table, the bartender was quick to pour the shots. Oliver narrowed his eyes, not entirely sure what she was doing. "Regardless, I really don't think you should be –"

"Really?" she asked in disbelief, not noticing how harsh the question sounded. "You're going to tell me not to drink this." It wasn't like he hadn't done worse things in her life. Sure, there was the whole 'personal experience' thing, but Chloe didn't buy it.

That reaction ensured to Oliver that he couldn't change her mind, so he turned around in his bar stool, staring out in the crowd. "Do what you want... it's your life."

"Thank you," she replied, but she paused on drinking her shots, thinking about what he said. It was never the context that she wanted to hear those words being spoken to her, and sure, the guy could take a hint. But the fact remained: he was letting Chloe decide.

Unfortunately, she had been caught staring and Oliver turned back to look at her. So Chloe quickly stumbled to say the first thing she could think of. "Are you –?"

"No," he replied, noticing how she tilted her shot glass slightly. "One's enough for me tonight."

Chloe quickly grinned as she downed her first shot, although it was far her first of the night. At this point, she wasn't sure how many that had been. "Are you this crappy of a playboy... or is that just around me?"

"If memory serves, I did close the deal." Oliver noticed how her expression soured, but it only caused him to chuckle under his breath in response. She really didn't like him. "Considering your nature around people such as myself, even you said it was a victory."

"And on that note," Chloe said before taking care of her final shot and slamming it on the table, "I'm going home." But as she stood up, things started to get fuzzy and she momentarily lost her balance.

Oliver noticed it, and was about to help when she regained her footing. Part of him wanted to let her leave, but based on her staggered path throughout the club, Oliver knew she was more drunk than she realized.

Getting off his seat, he figured the least he could do was get her into the cab safely... and probably walk her up.

The elevator door almost shut in his face, but his hand stopped it in time, although she wasn't happy to see him following her again. "Seriously?"

Standing beside her as the door closed this time, Oliver tried to justify his actions. "You can't walk in a straight line."

Soon after, they exited the elevator, and Chloe figured she'd wait the silence out until they got outside, but she couldn't. The echo of footsteps in her ears just behind her was enough for her to break it. "I'm fine."

Unfortunately, the timing on that comment was a little off, as Chloe's shoe slipped under the mat in the entryway. Reaching forward, Oliver caught her arm and pulled her back before she tripped. But he pulled her back almost too much as her back collided with his chest. "Yeah, you're just fine."

Walking away from him, Chloe replied sarcastically, "Well, aren't you a knight in shining armour." It wasn't like she had far to go, because she knew that, "You're... you're still not driving me _anywhere._"

"I figured that. That's why I'm hailing this cab." Oliver was just grateful that there was one coming, so he stepped out onto the street to successfully get the driver's attention. Opening the door, Oliver held his hand out for Chloe, but she just stood there, shaking her head. Rolling his eyes, he walked back to her and guided her towards the cab.

Knowing that once she was settled in the back seat, the last thing she would want is him sitting next to her, so Oliver got into the front seat, grinning at the cab driver. "Where do you live?" he asked, hoping she would cooperate now.

"Not telling," was the muffed response from the back seat.

Sighing as he closed the door, Oliver said. "You have to tell the driver somewhere to go if you – " His voice immediately stopped as he noticed Chloe fast asleep in the back seat.

It was safe to say that Oliver hadn't seen this twist coming. He couldn't drive her to a hotel and he couldn't wait for her to wake up. There really seemed like there was only one option, so Oliver told the cabbie his address, as he had already sent his car home for the night.

Stopping at the entrance of the building, Oliver paid the driver well before exiting the front seat. He walked around to the back seat, opening the door, where she was still sleeping peacefully, causing Oliver to crack a grin. She was different from many women he had met, that much was sure.

Leaning down, Oliver carefully scooped her up from the cab, trying not to wake her up. He gave the driver one last grin before he closed the door with his foot. Getting inside was a little easier, as Oliver tipped his head to his long-time doorman. The elevator ride was quiet, so was the sound of emptiness when it arrived at its destination.

Peering towards the entryway, he noticed how her coat was still on the floor, left behind when she wanted nothing more but to get out of here. There was a chance she would kill him for bringing her back here, but he didn't want anything bad to happen to her when he could have done something. Besides, Oliver was pretty sure he was to blame for some of her drinking.

With each step taken towards his guest room, he couldn't help but think back to how they met, how things would have been different with just a few more details known, but also how things would have changed if Oliver had gone home on schedule. He was still trying to figure out if running into Chloe again was a good or bad thing.

Laying her down on the bed, he noticed how she curled on her side, her hand gripping the base of the pillow. Knowing what he had to do was done, he whispered, "'Night," before leaving the room.

**~0~**

Opening her eyes, Chloe quickly groaned into the pillow, not the least bit aware of where she is. She just _had _to go out and drink again. At least this time though... she was still wearing her dress.

"I come in peace," a familiar, yet unwelcome voice calls out. She almost has half a mind to close her eyes again to and convince herself this isn't happening. But her mind changes when she hears, "And with coffee."

Her eyes finally used to the light, she feels grateful that she didn't get wasted enough to feel the after-effects in the morning. "Okay," she says groggily, sitting up on the bed. It was a different one from the other time she was here, which almost caused her to sigh in relief.

Oliver entered the room, approaching her carefully to pass her the mug of steaming coffee, which, if it tasted as good as it smelt, Chloe would likely wish she never drank it because she could never afford it. But she did regardless, enjoying the short-term side of things before whispering, "Thanks."

"You're welcome," he replies before heading towards the door again, pausing once to gesture towards the dresser. "The bag contains casual clothing; you can choose to wear it if you want. Breakfast will be ready when you are." He knew better than to overstay his welcome in her space so he headed back to the kitchen. Even though he has no idea what she ate for breakfast, he decides to cover his bases and he would eat whatever was left.

Apparently, it didn't take long for Chloe to get ready, as not long after he left, he noticed her entering the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

She had taken the clothes, stashing her dress in the bag. The black yoga pants and green t-shirt fit perfectly, but honestly, she was just glad that she didn't have to walk home in the dress. But she stopped suddenly upon seeing the food in front of her. "A little overkill don't you think?"

Overkill? Probably, as he had practically done an arrangement of breakfast foods on the table. But based on the way her fingers gripped her mug, she seemed to be enjoying it, which was a step in the right direction. Turning around, Oliver grabbed his coffee pot and walked to her, offering a top-up. When she held her cup out, he said calmly, "A simple thank you would suffice."

She thought about saying it as he let up on filling up her coffee, but instead she said, "Honestly, I don't eat much. The toast would have been enough."

Since Oliver had left the bedroom, the night was slowly coming back to her. Not one she was proud of, but at least she woke up in the morning with most of her dignity intact this time. Sitting down at the table, she grabbed the toast and started to butter it. If she could help it, she didn't want to inconvenience him anymore than she already had.

"Not after last night," Oliver grinned as he flipped the final pancake. "It'll help, but you'll need more than that." After turning off his stove element, he walked the plate of pancakes to the table.

"Based on personal experience?" She still didn't understand why Oliver would tell her something like that, but it was something that stuck.

Noticing how her eyes popped up to ask that question, Oliver knew she was looking for a reaction, but he didn't give it to her. "Which is why you should eat up."

Chloe sighed as she looked back at the food in front of her. It did smell really good and having a solid meal probably couldn't hurt. Shaking her head slightly, she said quietly, "Thank you."

Pausing, Oliver grinned as he looked back at her. "Now... was that so hard?" he asked innocently, but he flashbacked to their first night, when he teased her with a similar question with that tone. However, Oliver had no intention of dwelling on it, so he slapped his hands lightly on the table before walking away. "I'll be in the shower, so help yourself." He was going to leave it at that, but he paused in the doorway. "I don't expect to see you when I get out so... try to avoid hitting the alcohol next time. Despite what happened... it's not your solution."

Chloe felt herself swallow hard as she turned her head over her shoulder. "You're not going to tell Lois... about... you know."

He shook his head. "I don't see a point in that. Do you?"

She smiled, but it faded once she pulled out her buzzing phone and noticed the caller id. "Her ears must be burning."

Oliver watched her pick up the phone and address her cousin, so he figured that he'd let them talk, but he was stopped by a harsh, "What?" Re-entering the kitchen, he noticed the nervous nature in her stature as she had jumped up from her seat. "Calm down and let me explain for a second."

Their eyes met momentarily and Chloe quickly put a finger over her mouth. He put his hands up in surrender, but Chloe didn't see it as her eyes widened. "No Lois, you don't have to –" She stopped her sentence momentarily, only to say, "Lois?"

She had been hung up on, just great. Closing up her phone, Chloe stared at it. "We have five minutes to get out stories straight. Lois is coming."

"And you caved?"

She shrugged because she had no choice. When Lois said there was indisputable proof, Chloe knew they were both screwed. This was one story that Lois would never think to make up. "Where's your computer?"

He narrowed his eyes, wondering what she wanted with it, but he tilted his head towards the main area. "This way." Whatever it was couldn't be good, as Chloe was right behind him every step of the way. After firing up the screen, ensuring nothing confidential was running, Oliver stepped aside. "Mind filling me in?"

Chloe stepped up and took control of the keyboard. "Apparently someone followed our cab last night." Opening the internet browser, she did a quick search, pausing as the incriminating photo stared her in the face. Lois was right, as there he was, _carrying _her. Sure, last night was hazy at best, and there were only so many ways that she could get up here, but it was still a surprise. A fake scoff later, all Chloe could manage to say was, "Tabloid garbage."

Oliver was just as surprised, as he hadn't seen a flash of any kind or noticed any other person in the area. However, what was done was done. Turning to Chloe, he could see her brain working, so he asked, "What's the plan?"

That was the thing, Chloe was thinking hard about a plan, but her answer was, "I don't know."

Well, at least he could say that he gave her a chance to come up with something. "I might," he said, watching her head pop up in consequence. "But you won't like it."

**~0~**

Hearing the elevator chain, Oliver prepped himself for Lois storming out of there. He knew this explanation wasn't going to be easy.

"Where's my cousin?" Lois asked once she saw him. She had gone through a crowd of paparazzi just to get into the darn building and the only reason she got in was because she had called Chloe and the doorman recognized Lois' picture from the paper.

But now that she was here, she wanted answers. It was safe to say that when she got up this morning, the sight of her cousin getting carried by her ex was far from what she expected.

"Bathroom." Oliver pointed his thumb towards the hallway that led there, hoping she would get out soon. "You know the way she drinks coffee."

"I do," Lois replied with a slow nod as she crossed her arms. "How do _you _know that?"

Honestly, he didn't know until Chloe told him a couple of minutes ago, but this was all about the cover story, including the little white lie of, "Lois, it's not what you think." Because technically, it wasn't this morning, but their meeting was another story.

Unfortunately for him, Lois wasn't willing to wait. "Start talking, Oliver. Explain to me how on earth your night ends with carrying my cousin up here."

The bright spot about his plan was that most of it was true. If experience had taught him anything, it was that the less you lied to Lois Lane, the better. "We talked a little at the event and she mentioned she was out of work, so I offered her a position in our tech department."

Lois narrowed her eyes. This was supposed to be good news, as it was a great opportunity for Chloe, but it still seemed a little sudden on Oliver's part. "Just like that?"

"We did have an opening," Oliver said with a shrug, as again, it was the truth. They just hadn't advertised the position yet, so in a way, Chloe had just saved his company money. "Besides, just because Lex fired her... doesn't mean I don't see her potential."

The scary thing was that he did. It was easy to see why she was fired as she had determination running through her veins. Mix that with a desire to know the truth and you have a great journalist. However, with a boss like Lex Luthor, qualities like that probably were a threat to him.

But Lois still wasn't buying it. "Professional or personal?" For while he was faithful during their relationship, and she trusted Chloe, Lois didn't know what he was trying to accomplish here. Five days after they finally closed the book on their relationship, three months after she him left Star City, and suddenly, he's photographed alongside her cousin. "You know it's the first question the _Inquisitor _is going to ask."

"Let them speculate," Chloe announced, entering the room. "Regardless of our story, their story is going to stay the same."

"So nice of you to join us," Lois said with a grin before looking back to Oliver. "You know… this doesn't explain the photo." Even if what he said was true, the circumstance seemed far from co-worker territory.

"Chloe was drunk… I was trying to get her home, but she passed out in the cab." Holding his hands out his side, he asked, "What was I supposed to do?"

"A hotel would have sufficed."

He scoffed quickly in response. "Oliver Queen checks in random stranger into hotel room. Yeah, that's a _much _better headline."

A solid point, but Lois had a better question. "Okay, genius, why didn't you call _me_?" She knew he had her number, he knew they were related. In fact, it should have been the first thing to cross his mind.

But it wasn't. Once Oliver entered the Ace of Clubs again, it was like seeing Chloe all over again. She wasn't Lois' cousin, just a random stranger that he happened to know. Looking at Chloe now, with her widened eyes in disbelief, Oliver wanted to say he had a good reason for not calling Lois, but he didn't.

Seeing that, Chloe answered for him. "I told him not to," she lied quietly. "I was embarrassed and I just wanted to get home." Looking back at Oliver, she met his eye momentarily before adding, "I never expected Oliver Queen's word to be that strong."

Lois sighed, knowing there was more to the story, but it would suffice for now. "Well, you're safe and I guess that's what matters." Approaching her cousin, she gave her a quick hug as she said, "At least this kind of publicity didn't happen last time, right? Even if he was a nine."

Chloe's eyes widened as she never expected Lois to go there. Glancing at Oliver, it was clear that he had heard her cousin as he gave Chloe a knowing look, causing her to blush.

Missing the exchange as she pulled out her phone to check the time, Lois realized that it was time for her to head out. "Okay, I've got to meet a source, but don't think this conversation is over."

"Bye Lois," Oliver said, watching as she approached the elevator. "Make sure to take the side entrance out."

"Got it Oliver, thanks."

Once Lois shut the elevator gate, causing its descent, Chloe could feel a sigh of relief coming over her. Looking at him again, she said, "I suppose I owe you a thank you too. I really do appreciate the chance you're taking here."

"I think I know what I'm getting into." The board wasn't going to be overly impressed, but in the end, Queen Industries was his company. Furthermore, with Chloe's work ethic, he knew this whole thing would die down in days.

"But why are you here?" Chloe asked, not wanting to ask that question again, but her curiosity kept her from biting her tongue.

Oliver smirked as he stared down at his feet. "My pilot had an emergency the morning after... you know. Giving time off seemed to be the thing to do." It didn't even happen that much longer after Chloe had left, as he remembered the phone call from his pilot, letting Oliver know that a close friend had passed away. The funeral was the next day, meaning wheels had to be up before Oliver was ready to leave. "Besides, there's always work to be done around here."

"Can't you just hire another guy to fly you home?"

"I could...except _her_father was my parent's pilot." Oliver had expected as much of a question from her, along with her resulting reaction as his words sunk in. "This may sound hard to believe, but I do understand what loyalty means."

It was enough to make Chloe feel awful for even asking. It was far from the explanation she thought she would hear, but it added to the mystery that was Oliver Queen. "I'm sorry."

"Just... relish the victory," Oliver said, remembering her words, even if giving her a job was a slightly different context. "Don't try to justify it."

Laughing, Chloe looked up at him with a smile. "Okay."

Seeing an end on that particular conversation, Oliver decided it was probably best to let Chloe get on with her day. "Anyway, you start Monday. 8 a.m. sharp. I'll text you the address."

Chloe narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I think I know where Queen towers are."

Oliver knew that, because she would know this city better than him, but he still wanted to have some sort of intrigue for her. It wasn't every day that Oliver tried to hide his indiscretions through his company, but more importantly, he wanted Chloe to know all the facets of the company, especially considering she didn't even want this job hours ago. "Special assignment for your first day."

That was fine, but there was one problem with that theory. "You don't have my number."

"Well," he replied as he flashed his signature smile. "You should change that."

Spotting a pad of paper nearby, Chloe grabbed a pen from her purse and handed them both to Oliver. "Call me old-fashioned." She knew it would only be a matter of time before Oliver got her number, but Chloe was willing to delay that as long as possible.

Oliver obliged, writing down the address on the pad and then handing it back Chloe. "Only a nine?"

Taking the pad, Chloe ripped off the page. "I have no idea what you're talking about," she replied before tossing the notepad back at Oliver, which he caught with ease. With a playful smile, Chloe looked away from him, taking a final scan of the room, hoping she wouldn't be back anytime soon.

The elevator ride down was fairly uneventful, but that was made up by the obvious presence of media at the front door. But Chloe had remembered something about a side entrance, so she blindly walked away from the elevator until one of the doorman came to her, informing her that Oliver had a car waiting for her.

With his help, Chloe found the door, and sure enough, there was a driver waiting there. Initially, Chloe thought about refusing, but she didn't think she could outrun that many press members, so she reached for the door of the car.

"Wait."

Chloe obliged, turning her head over her shoulder to see Oliver approaching her. She furrowed her eyebrows, but she soon realized why he was here. In his hand was the coat she had left the night she had met. With everything that had happened, she had completely forgotten about it, but apparently, he hadn't.

Holding it out to her, he said, "I... figured you might want this back." Noticing the tiniest of smiles on her face as she took it from him, Oliver couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Thanks."

Again, she tried to open the door, but Oliver reached across and opened the door for her, gesturing for her to enter. "I'm not following you this time, I swear."

Chloe didn't consider that this time, but she laughed nonetheless and got in the car. Looking back up at him, she said, "I'll see you Monday, I guess."

With a bow of his head, Oliver replied, "Until then." He then closed the door and tapped the roof of the car, taking Chloe back home with something she didn't have before. Then again, she never expected to have Oliver Queen practically hand her a job. Maybe, in the strangest way, things were starting to take a turn for the better.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: This was supposed to be up yesterday, but this chapter ended up a lot longer than I thought. I also thought about cutting it in half, but then I decided against it. Also, a little honesty. I've never actually been drunk before, so if any of Chloe's reactions here are terribly unrealistic, I'm chalking it up to lack of empirical experience. _


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Getting out of her car, Chloe thought Oliver was playing a joke on her. Special assignment he says, but the address was one Chloe knew all too well. Even as she drove there, she thought it might have been a mistake but sure enough, her wheels stopped at the Met Gen parking lot.

She looked around, trying to fathom what on earth he would be doing here besides a press conference, and there was no way he needed a technical officer for that. But Chloe knew that she didn't have a pass for Queen Towers and without that, she might as well let him chuckle over the fact there was some weird inside joke in all this and get it over with. Except when she entered the building, she noticed the man himself turning around, smiling when he saw her.

"Glad you could make it," he called from down the hallway, as part of him expected Chloe to change her mind about taking the job.

"Why are we here?"

"Do you know how to use one of these?" Oliver asked, but with little seriousness in his expression, as he knew her credentials covered using a laptop, but even once Chloe nodded, it didn't stop Oliver from teasing her further. "Software experience?"

Taking the computer from his hands, Chloe scoffed lightly. "I really do enjoy how you're interviewing me _after _you hired me. Do you have similar tactics with the bill of health of the women you sleep with?"

Oliver laughed back. "I think you know the answer to that question."

Chloe momentarily cringed as that fact sunk in. Part of her hoped Oliver would at least try to forget that ever happened, but that didn't seem to be possible just yet. "Look, I know my stuff. I wouldn't have taken the job otherwise."

"I thought it was because you couldn't get a job," he said, pointing his head down the hallway before lifting his feet to head in that direction.

After a quick eye roll, Chloe followed him. "You're really enjoying yourself right now, aren't you?"

He smiled, knowing he was far enough ahead of Chloe that she couldn't see it. "I am."

"Well, in that case, could you tell me why we're here?"

He didn't get a chance to respond, as a doctor rounded the corner and upon seeing Oliver, his eyes immediately widened. "Oliver, what a surprise!"

His signature grin in place, Oliver shook the doctor's hand. "I had some time to kill, and I thought maybe the kids wouldn't mind an encore."

Chloe felt confused, as it was almost impossible to miss the chatter surrounding Oliver, yet the fact Oliver would be having a positive form of an encore seemed to be missed.

However, the doctor's genuine grin never faded as he admitted, "They've been talking about you all day." He then turned his attention to Chloe. "And this is...?"

"Chloe Sullivan," she said before Oliver had a chance to interject.

Except to her surprise, Oliver wrapped his arm around her shoulders momentarily, tugging her slightly towards his side. "Chloe here is our newest hire at Queen Industries." Just as quick as he placed it, he retracted his arm, moving slightly to stand between them. "Chloe, meet Dr. Alfred Price."

"Call me Al," he replied as he shook Chloe's hand. "And any close employee of Oliver's is a friend of mine." As Al turned around, he gestured for Chloe and Oliver to follow him. "Right this way."

**~0~**

Chloe was still trying to process what just happened. Sure, the job that she was doing was a bit of an insult to her credentials, but the work was admirable. Sitting back, all she had to do was run through a couple of slideshows as Oliver gave an interactive rendition of children's books. It was impossible not to smile as the laughter roared throughout the room and the only cameras that were in the room were the parents' digital cameras, the flashing going off for the memory, not for profit.

Oliver wrapped off his reading, quickly pointing out Chloe in the room and everyone gave a loud round of applause, which Chloe joined in, but not without giving Oliver a playful glare. He just shrugged and smiled at her, and for some reason, this time, she let a smile slip.

A couple of the parents stopped by her station, thanking her personally for her efforts. However, it wasn't until she saw a couple of the children approach her that Chloe realized how something so small in her mind could mean so much to these people. She only wished that she knew what they were doing before arriving at the hospital, she would have brought them something.

Packing up her stuff, Chloe left the room quietly, as she figured that Oliver would be busy for the next little while. It was still early, so she thought about heading to Queen Industries and finding a way to get herself organized. But she didn't get far before she heard Oliver's voice call at to her. "So... how's that for an initiation?"

She chuckled under her breath and turned around to see Oliver running towards her. It was nothing of what she expected from the company or him, which probably was the point. "What did that have to do with Queen Industries?"

She had a point, as normally, he got one of the moms to run the computer, but this time... Oliver wanted Chloe to see it for herself. "Companies like mine have to contribute more than money, as sometimes, face time means more than the dollars inputted to a cause." His donation to this children's wing was substantial, even for a city far from his hometown, but lost innocence was something he knew all too well. Although this was different, as disease couldn't relate to orphanhood, Oliver always relished the moments where he could help a kid be a kid.

"But you're right. To an extent, I do this for me." To the kids inside the room, the parents who had been there, Oliver was a completely different person. There was no reputation to live up to, just an enjoyable experience to be had. It was the highlight of every trip to Metropolis. "It's a chance to get away from everything, to do something outside of prying eyes."

Chloe believed him, even after they turned the corner and noticed the commotion at the main entrance. There they were, Oliver's screaming fan base, aka the paparazzi, right on cue. "You sure about all that?"

Oliver shook his head, knowing that was really crappy timing. "Unfortunately, that might have more to do with you than me." For years, he had this visit in peace, but he hadn't done anything overly extraordinary. Apparently carrying a woman up to his penthouse and letting her sleep alone was more scandalous than the legitimate debauchery he had committed. "Do you trust me?"

"No, but do I have a choice?" Chloe asked as she peered up at him, trying to figure out how this was her fault. It wasn't like people really cared about who she was. Unfortunately, when Oliver just shrugged at her, she sighed back. "Then lead the way."

When she said that, Chloe figured it would be as simple as waiting it out, or having a car pull out front. But instead, he took her hand and guided her down an adjacent hallway. The game room, the kitchen even, before they found a door that seemed to be meant for employees only, but no one seemed to complain. Neither was Chloe, as she had graced enough covers for a lifetime with the photo of Oliver carrying her.

When they got outside, she figured they would just say their goodbyes, but when she opened her mouth to say it, Oliver grabbed her hand again.

"If you go to your car, kiss goodbye to privacy."

To be honest, Chloe was tempted to risk it, but when she noticed the crowd rounding the corner, she turned back, trusting him enough in broad daylight.

**~0~**

She wasn't entirely sure what she's doing here, why she accepted his offer to go back to the clocktower instead of going back to her own apartment. However, despite the persona he was, he had this odd way of making her feel comfortable and suddenly, the negative stigma for this place felt unwarranted. Maybe because the women who normally came here didn't have a head on their shoulders, but she almost wanted to believe he was better than that. Which sounded ridiculous considering her opinion of him weeks ago. Heck, _days _ago.

But the whole judging a book by its cover cliché exists for a reason, and he was no exception. Sure, she could have been played, but she didn't think that was true either.

"How often do you come here," she asks, finally breaking the silence. There were no drinks this time, just space separating them, yet they both noticed the difference of the air around the room.

"Three or four times a year. Why?"

"You seem to know everyone in this city." She had to admit that she was at least a little impressed, as for a city the man didn't live in, he had a knack for faces and a memory that she couldn't explain. Furthermore, everyone at the hospital addressed him on a first-name basis not because they had to but because he'd insist on it. He even gave a nurse a reminder to call him that way. If today taught her nothing else, it was that the man sitting across from her had fooled a lot of people, herself included.

Going around the city, getting to know the people he needed to, was something Oliver took great pride in. Respect was earned and if he stayed up in his penthouse and office suite, no one would ever give it to him. Sure, the playboy tendencies were there too, but Oliver ensured that he had the business sense to back it up.

Yet he found himself smirking at Chloe as he said, almost embarrassed, "I managed to miss you."

But she didn't take any offence to it, shrugging it off as she peered towards the skyline on display outside his terrace. "I take it publications of any sort tend to miss your attention or else you'd take better care of your reputation. Besides, Lex had me buried way behind the front page."

That may be true, but Oliver couldn't explain how he never knew about her. He dated her cousin and still, he knew nothing. "Do you mind me asking a question that you probably ask yourself?"

"Shoot," Chloe replied as she sunk down further into her seat.

Meanwhile, Oliver leaned forward, staring at his hands as they came together. It took a second to find the exact question he wanted, settling on, "Why do people underestimate you?"

Her initial reaction was to blink in surprise, but Oliver's eyes met hers, Chloe laughed. "With Lex, it was about putting me in my place. I don't think the man ever underestimated me."

"I guess that makes sense considering what you're capable of," Oliver said with a smile, unsure how Chloe would take what he was about to tell her. "I talked to the current high school principal in Smallville. He was more than willing to provide me with previous editions of the Torch."

The stories were unlike anything Oliver had seen. While most high school papers covered dances, fundraisers and gossip, Chloe spun things that seemed to be straight out of science fiction. The former did make an appearance, but it was small print next to the exposes of Chloe Sullivan. As crazy as reading it all sounded, seeing the woman in front of him, Oliver couldn't help but wonder how much of it was true.

Chloe's eyebrows rose, as she couldn't believe that Oliver had bothered to research into her high school days. "You did a background check on me?"

"Consider it levelling the playing field," Oliver said with a chuckle. "Besides, if you're going to be my employee... have to know that I can trust you."

Sighing as she stood up, she replied, "If I screw this up then I really have no place to go. Trust me Mr. Queen."

He stood up, surprised at the way she addressed him. "Chloe...I like to think we're past last name pleasantries."

They probably were, but he was still her boss and Chloe didn't want to take any chances. "I should be going though. I have to get my car from the hospital parking lot and, I don't know, report to work."

"Speaking of," Oliver replied as he walked over his desk. After opening the top drawer, he quickly found what he was looking for. "Your temporary ID. Saves you the trouble of explaining your unique hiring situation."

At this point, her identification was a blank key card, but she could only hoped it sufficed at the door. Then again, Oliver had a point... people knew who she was, and not for the reason she wanted to. "And whose fault was that?"

He pretended to think about it for a minute. "I'm going to have to go with the alcohol on this one." Seeing her less than enthusiastic expression, Oliver smirked before picking up the phone. "Unless you wanted me to tell the truth, because I am more than willing to –"

Reaching forward as she noticed him dialling a couple numbers, Chloe held the hook switch, grateful he used the landline instead of his cell phone. "That couldn't be farther from what I want." Thinking further as she released it, Chloe realized it probably wasn't what Oliver wanted either.

Oliver did hang up the phone, but it was lifted again when something crossed his mind. "If you want, I could have a driver take you to – "

Chloe laughed lightly, knowing where he was going with that, but he had honestly helped her enough. "I appreciate the sentiment, Oliver, but it's a nice day. I think I'll walk."

He smiled at the use of his first name and figured he could deal with that. From what he knew about Chloe, she was used to taking care of herself, so giving her this one was probably best. "See you around Chloe."

Narrowing her eyes, she replied honestly, "We'll see." She knew that he was leaving in the next couple of days, for sure this time, and it wouldn't surprise her if Oliver forgot about her completely in a few weeks.

**~0~**

As she closed her car door, Chloe wondered if she would regret this decision. It had been a while since she had talked to him, as she ignored his calls after the photo came out. He was concerned, and Clark would always be concerned, but she didn't want to deal with his big brother act.

However, when weather took a turn for the worst, Chloe called in a favour for Clark to take her to her car at Met Gen. It took awhile for her to convince him that she was perfectly healthy, but once Chloe did, he came and he did as he told. But when Clark was about to leave, Chloe stopped him, offering him a ride back to the _Daily Planet_. It was a ride he didn't need, but it was a chance for them to talk, so Clark accepted.

"Well, I'm just going to say it," he said as Chloe turned her car out of the parking lot. It was going to be blunt, but she would know how he felt about this whole thing; there was no point avoiding that. "I don't like it and I'm worried about you. Oliver Queen is bad news, Chloe."

Shaking her head, Chloe thought about how it was really amazing how a couple news stories could really muddle a person's true self. On the surface, Oliver could be that guy, he could be anyone. But in spending time with him, she got a sense of a different person entirely. "The papers don't see him when he's reading to the children's ward of the hospital. Or when he spontaneously drops off a cheque to the nearby homeless shelter... just because he felt like it."

"That doesn't mean that –"

"I know that," Chloe interjected, hoping eventually that Clark would see her side. But it continued to go back and forth, getting all of their crap to the surface.

Eventually, Chloe found it within herself to say calmly, "He was trying to take me home when I fell asleep. Considering a guy with his reputation, a situation like that could have been a lot worse."

Seeing the _Daily Planet _approaching, Clark wanted to say more, but between the validity of Chloe's argument and the time left in this conversation, he decided against it. "How's the job?"

She knew Clark would never say outright that her point was solid, but with him, it was all about little victories. "It pays, decent benefit plan." At this point, that was about all she knew about her job. Regardless, she said, "I won't lie to you Clark, I know it sounds strange but... I think it's a good thing for me."

As the car stopped, Clark turned to Chloe, reaching across the car to grab her hand. Squeezing it lightly, he said honestly, "I'm glad." With that, he released it before opening his door. Clark stood next to the car for a minute before leaning down to add, "Take care Chloe."

"You too," Chloe replied quietly, barely hearing the door shut. All she could focus on was the fact that Clark had held her hand, and for the first time in a very long time, Chloe didn't feel any different.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: Shout-out to **madlenita**. It's kind of late, but happy birthday! This one's for you_.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It had been a month since Chloe had seen Oliver and the job had mostly gone well. The beneficial part of desperation was that, with her work ethic, the sneers died down quickly. Most people figured she was just a name in the paper, but when she was outperforming most of her department, people backed down and Chloe could just do her work. Sure, there were skeptics, there were always going to be, but then again, her current situation wasn't helping her case.

For as much as Chloe wanted this whole thing to die down, it hadn't. News had been slow-going lately and some figured Oliver's lack of partying had something to do with her, but it couldn't be further from the truth. It was a crazy time for Queen Industries, so when Oliver did go out, the tabloids claimed there was trouble in so-called paradise.

Chloe was pretty sure that she was a potential baby mama in at least two of them and all of them implied she was jealous. She wanted to ignore the headlines, but it wasn't easy. The second wave of paparazzi that followed her would ask her questions, and with her curiosity streak, she would find that her character was being completely misunderstood. Not that it should surprise her, but now it seemed like all this was too much for the board of Queen Industries. They wanted to meet their company's unintentional celebrity, so here she was, on Oliver's plane no less, about to head to Star City to meet them.

"Miss Sullivan?" a female voice called out from the doorway. Chloe looked up and noticed a brunette woman coming on the plane. "I'm sorry, but there's a delay and... I didn't feel like sitting in the cockpit by myself." She cracked a smile before adding, "Do you mind?"

Chloe shook her head, pointing towards the seat across from her. "Not as long as you call me Chloe."

"Captain Harmon," she replied, taking the seat, but quickly correcting herself. "Julia." Leaning forward in her seat, she added, "And can I just say how nice it is to have someone ordinary on this plane?"

"I take it this isn't standard protocol for Queen Industries employees?" Chloe joked, having a feeling that was a rhetorical question.

But Julia replied nonetheless. "You mean getting a private jet to Star City to meet the board?" Granted the whole reason she was here was because Oliver insisted on it. He didn't want Chloe to feel pampered, but he wanted a friendly face, someone he could trust, helping her out, because this wasn't exactly what Chloe wanted either. Except there was no way Julia was flying passenger on some commercial flight. "Not unless you want me to lie."

"Got it," Chloe replied, appreciating the honesty.

"Considering the buzz around your employment... they want to make sure you're legit. And they're not going to come to you." She had actually seen the meeting unfold, as the papers were ruthless against Chloe, and no matter how much Oliver tried to defend the situation or make it die down, it wasn't happening. If he stopped partying, it might have helped, but in a twisted way, he had actually hoped it would help the media forget about Chloe. "It's not Oliver's fault, trust me, but he got overruled."

Chloe knew that, as the reporters weren't completely off on their story. She hadn't seen him, but they had been keeping in touch since Oliver left Metropolis. Once he managed to find her number from her employee files, he called her up, initially just as a joke. But the joke turned into real conversation and soon enough, when Oliver was bored, he'd text Chloe. Then it wasn't long until she'd return the favour when she noticed a dumb headline. Phone calls were usually about talking shop, but Chloe really felt a strong camaraderie when they talked, as to her surprise, they saw the world really similarly.

The funny thing though, was that he rarely mentioned Julia, and talking to her now, Chloe had this sense that she was far more than just his pilot. "You two are really close aren't you?"

Julia nodded, having a strange feeling of where this questioning was going to. "But before you ask... I've never slept with him, nor do I plan to." It wasn't something she expected Chloe to believe, because no one did.

However, Chloe was quick to shake her head, surprised by Julia's continuing candour. "I honestly wasn't going there." The few times he did mention her name, Chloe never got that impression from him.

It was Julia's turn to feel confused, as she admitted, "You'd be the first. It's sad how many mile-high club jokes I get." Because apparently a guy and a girl weren't allowed to be friends without some form of agenda, which is what Oliver wanted Julia to believe about Chloe. She only hoped he was right.

"From what I understand, Oliver's pretty loyal to your family."

"Oliver's like my little brother," Julia admitted with a grin, thinking about how they grew up together. Back then, he was just a kid, like anyone else. However, her face fell as they both had to grow up quickly. "My mom, she made sure he was taken care of after the plane crash."

She was Oliver's real guardian, no matter what the legal system said. They could send him to boarding school, try to build a leader, but her mom reminded him about the importance of growing up at his pace. For while the board wanted a solution, Oliver was just a boy, wondering why his parents weren't coming home.

Chloe watched as the other woman reminisced over the past. It was a facet of Oliver's life that she didn't envy. For while she lost her mother when she was young, her dad had been there for her, even though he worked hard. "Did you know his parents?"

"As much as teenagers pay attention to their parent's bosses." It wasn't much, but Julia knew they were good people from the way her parents talked about them. That, and she owed them more than she could ever repay them. "Two months before their accident, they came to my thirteenth birthday party, wished me the best. I didn't learn until after I received my Masters from Stanford that they had come to give my mom a cheque for my college tuition."

Looking around, Chloe found herself shaking her head. Julia's resume was impressive for someone who ended up as a pilot. "What are you doing here?"

It was an understandable question, one that many people asked her. Some saw Oliver as her crutch, but in truth, they were each other's rocks. "When I was a little girl, I told my dad that I would work for Queen Industries, become the greatest employee they had ever seen."

The day of her graduation, Oliver offered her a position with Queen Industries and she was determined to earn what might seem like a favour. Walking into that office with that briefcase was a surreal experience, but the dream slowly faded in her eyes. "I soon realized that it wasn't what I wanted, so I quit and joined the California Flight Academy."

All those days talking about planes with her father, she figured her interest in flight was just a hobby. But one her first work-related trip, Julia was antsy, wanting nothing more than to sit in the cockpit like she did with her dad. "This... is where I'm supposed to be, because it isn't me living my dad's life. It's sharing something we loved even though he's gone."

Julia soon realized that she may have gotten a little too nostalgic. "I'm sorry; that was probably way too much information."

But Chloe found herself enthralled by her story, as Julia was someone who had stumbled in finding her place, but had found happiness through it all. It was admirable, and with any luck, relatable. "No, don't apologize."

Looking up, Julia grinned, seeing in a short exchange, a small hint of what Oliver saw in Chloe. However, that wasn't going to be enough to ease her just yet. "Tell me about yourself."

"I'm not that exciting." Or at least, Chloe didn't feel that way after hearing Julia speak. "Quarter-life crisis pretty much describes my life... even if I'm sitting in a private plane."

"You must have done something right to get the job."

Chloe shook her head, as it was handed to her, likely out of desperation. In fact, it wouldn't surprise her if Oliver lied about having an opening. "Right place right time." Or rather, something along the lines of the contrary.

In many cases, Julia would have believed her. But the stories around this hiring didn't add up. "You know, Oliver never told me how you got this job." He was way too casual about it, or if nothing else, it was way too abrupt of a hiring.

This was a question Chloe should have prepared for, but the truth was, she didn't expect to answer it so soon. Lois and Clark bought the excuse of Oliver trying to make up for past mistakes and seeing Chloe's potential, but Julia was clearly smart enough to see past that. "Um... this is going to sound pathetic but I think it's a Queen/Luthor rivalry thing. Oliver found out Lex fired me and decided what the hell." The sad part was that was a lot closer to the truth than a lot of what Chloe had been saying.

And Julia could sense her honesty, so she backed off a little. No doubt her situation wasn't an easy one, and as skeptical as Julia had become, she felt it waver. "You have a strong resume for someone who stumbled into a position like yours."

That got Chloe to laugh, as suddenly Oliver's comments about the Torch made sense. Julia was clearly thorough and she wasn't about to underestimate Chloe. "Let me guess, you ran the background check."

"I might have seen the results." Julia knew it wasn't in her place to look up this stuff, but ensuring Oliver was making the right decision was like breathing to her. With no parents in sight, someone had to check on him. Chloe's case was special, but it was one she didn't take lightly.

"The truth is you were one of the few journalists I could stand in Metropolis, impressive considering your age and short tenure at the _Daily Planet._Although it doesn't hurt that you've got more courage in your fingers than most journalists have in their lives."

It may seem strange that Julia knew about Chloe's work, but she was diligent when it came to covering media. She wanted to be aware of what was going on, no matter where the news was coming from. "In fact, I was shocked Lex had hired a decent journalist before your demotion."

Chloe was understandably surprised, and she didn't have the heart to tell Julia that not only did Lex not hire her, but she also regretted the reason she got the job in the first place. It was never the way she wanted to live the dream. "I'm sensing a 'but' here."

Julia smiled in response, glad Chloe caught that because it meant she could cut right to her point. "A journalist of your skills isn't one to be caught dead in a tabloid scandal, no offence." The fact that Oliver knew nothing about her before his last trip surprised Julia, but it was also reassuring of the company. If there was a leak or flaw of any kind, Chloe Sullivan had proved that she could find it.

So her eyes peered up with a serious expression. "You had to wonder if it wasn't an accident." Oliver had been through enough and the last thing he needed was for Chloe's intentions to be less than honourable.

Chloe's mouth gaped slightly, but it was the only giveaway reaction from Julia's comment. It was an angle she hadn't considered, although thinking about it, she wasn't sure why not. However, she didn't back down either, trying to get an idea of what Julia thought of her now. "And... what do you think?"

Julia had to admit, she liked Chloe's confidence. It was a different kind from a lot of women she had seen Oliver associated with. Leaning back in her seat, never losing eye contact, she replied simply, "I didn't think the Luthor factor was that large, but the fact you piss Lex off is a perk. Otherwise —"

"Captain?"

Julia turned around and noticed a guy from the ground crew peeking inside the plane. Giving Chloe a grin, she stood up and adjusted her uniform. "Looks like we're ready to take to the skies Chloe. Buckle your seatbelt and enjoy the flight."

**~0~**

Chloe waited patiently after the plane landed, so when the door finally opened, she was more than willing to get off the plan, get this over with. But when she reached the bottom of the ladder, she noticed her luggage getting unloaded into a red Ferrari on the runway.

She approached the car carefully, wondering what was going on. Coming around the car was Julia, who gestured her head towards the passenger seat. "This isn't a limo, and I don't bite, I swear."

"So you're a driver too?" Chloe quipped, opening the passenger door as she didn't see herself having much of a choice.

"This was my idea... although he does know how much I love to drive this car." Sitting in the driver seat, Julia enclosed her hands on the steering wheel with a grin. "Besides, cabs are expensive and the last thing you want is to be dropped off without a clue of where you're going."

Chloe matched her smile as she got in the car, not noticing her phone slipping out of her bag. Hearing the resulting clink, Julia turned her head, surprised by the face on the phone, a face she knew all too well.

Picking up the phone, she watched as Chloe quickly pressed the ignore button. However, that didn't stop her from asking, "How do you know Lois?"

"She's… my cousin." Chloe felt bad for ignoring the call, but she knew it probably wasn't a great idea to take the call right now either.

Julia's eyes immediately widened. "Seriously?" Realizing that was probably a little over-the-top, she dialled it back a notch as she fit the key in the ignition. "I'm sorry; I have a hard time that you're related to her."

While it was true that Lois and her had different tendencies, Chloe realized this was an opportunity. For six months, Lois and Oliver dated, yet she knew nothing about their relationship, or the fallout that caused Chloe to meet him in the first place. "What happened... between them?"

"Wish I knew," Julia said honestly, turning the key. "But I can say that Lois pulling the plug was the best thing that happened to them."

"Really?"

Julia immediately nodded, as every time she saw them, it was the same sense of bickering, which she didn't think would work in a romantic relationship. As time went by, Julia thought about intervening, but she held back, as it was a tough time in Oliver's life, and oddly enough, he needed some form of stability. Regardless, Julia still believed Lois made the right call. "I only met Lois a couple of times and I'm sure she's a nice person, but she isn't Oliver's match."

"Oh."

She knew Chloe would want more, but despite the length of their relationship, Julia hardly knew Lois. For more details, Chloe would have to ask them directly. "Yeah, and while you've managed to avoid the conversation about yourself on the plane… you're not getting away with it now."

But Chloe found herself shrugging, not entirely sure what Julia wanted to know. "You've seen my resume."

That was true, as Julia started to recite what she had figured out about Chloe so far. "Graduated from Met U, editor for your high school paper, Luthor adversary... " Her voice trailed momentarily before adding, "Those are aspects of yourself, but it's not you."

"You hate Lex as much as Oliver, don't you?"

"In a word... absolutely," Julia replied, trying not to grit her teeth hard as she turned the car onto the highway. The speed allowed for her anger to subside momentarily, but in her heart, she would always know the hurt that the Luthors had caused her family. "But you're deflecting again."

Sensing that Julia needed a change in conversation, Chloe thought about it for a minute, wondering what it would take to satisfy her curiosity. "Lois is the closest thing I have to family, I can't cook to save my life, and while I am single... I'm not looking to sleep with Oliver either. Stuff like that?"

"It's a start," Julia said casually. It was interesting, as Lois and her would never see eye-to-eye, but already, Julia liked Chloe, making her wonder how on earth the cousins got along so well. The cooking comment was a throw-away, but the last point of Oliver...Julia believed her. Sure, she had caught Oliver on the phone with Chloe on more than one occasion, but maybe he was right... maybe it was more of a friendship that bonded them.

However, Julia's lack of further retort, resulting in silence in the car, became too much for Chloe. "You don't trust me, do you?"

"Name the last person you trusted within hours of meeting them and with limited conversations at that." Turning towards Chloe, Julia knew her point was made. "You think I'm aiming for the sky Chloe, but I'm just getting a feel for your character. Which is why I think we should spend some time together... see the city."

Chloe's eyes narrowed, surprised by offer. "First you're my pilot, my driver... now a tour guide?"

Feeling her smile grow, Julia shrugged lightly. "What can I say? I am a woman of many skills. I'll help you check in... and we'll see the sights together." Her smile twitching towards a sly grin, she added, "Granted, if your stomach can handle it, we may test this baby's engine on the highway for a little bit."

Leaning back in her seat, Chloe looked ahead at the open road. "Feel free."

Laughing, Julia started pushing the gas pedal harder. "For the record Chloe… I think we're going to get along just fine."'

**~0~**

A long day of touring the city had culminated in the hotel bar for a couple drinks. Leaning against the bar, Chloe sipped her drink slowly. "It really is a beautiful city," she said honestly, glad to get a different sense of Star City.

Julia had purposely avoided every tourist attraction and took her to all of the little intricate places that often got overlooked. "It's home," she replied before sipping her drink. "But you should think about sticking around a little longer." Seeing how Chloe immediately looked at her with narrowed eyes, Julia shrugged. "You've won me over, sue me." With a sigh, she added, "You probably hate your boss... but I for one am glad he met you."

Settling her glass back on the table, Chloe's smile faded, as there was something she always wanted to know, but was too afraid to ask Oliver himself. "Would you mind telling me how much of it is true? Off the record of course."

Julia's mouth opened to respond, before she looked down at her drink as she swirled it in her hand. The truth was that more of it was true than she wanted to admit. "I guess the best way to answer that is to say he went through a really dark time where... I didn't even recognize him."

It was a hard time for both of them, but Oliver took it worse than she did. In fact, he wouldn't even talk to her, to anyone. It took alcohol poisoning and a half-hour screaming match for Oliver to finally break through. However, even that wasn't enough. Julia knew there was more to his breakdown, but he hid it now. In fact, Julia wanted to say that Oliver had forgotten whatever caused him that pain. "I'm not going to sit here and tell you Oliver Queen is a perfect soul because he's far from it. But he is a good man."

Chloe nodded, remembering all of the things Oliver had done for her already. "I know."

Feeling herself yawn, Julia downed the rest of her drink, partly because she was tired, but also because she hated reliving that aspect of her life. It was clear that she needed to get some sleep though, which meant she had to cut this conversation at an odd point. "Sorry about that, but I think I better catch a cab and head home. Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Chloe replied as she watched Julia take off from the bar. She thought about following Julia to the front, but Chloe figured that she could use her space. So she took a few extra minutes to finish her drink before deciding it was probably bed time for her too.

Except as she headed towards the elevators, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Narrowing her eyes as she noticed Oliver approaching her with a garment bag... she had a feeling where this was going.

"_No_," she said harshly, knowing it was rude, but she had to be clear. "Hospital readings I'll do but I doubt anything in that bag is in my job description."

Oliver wasn't one to back down either, so he held out the bag toward her. "The gala's for charity."

Chloe repeated, "No."

It was supposed to be the last word, as Chloe attempted to walk around him, but Oliver moved too quickly, catching her arm before she got away. Not wanting to cause a scene, he quickly let go of it, surprised to see it had stopped Chloe from taking off again. "If you want to reduce suspicion, you have to face it head on. Something tells me you're a big girl and you can handle it."

Sighing, Chloe turned to face him. "When is it?"

"Tomorrow night."

Staring at the bag still in his hand, she asked, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never would have come," Oliver replied easily, and from the way Chloe reacted to that comment, he knew he was right. "And before you ask, Julia was sworn to secrecy." But hearing that Julia spent time with Chloe voluntarily was a good sign, as it probably meant she would finally back off her theory. Chloe wasn't using him, as if she had it her way, she would never had been here. But the fact that she grabbed the dress was a positive sign too. Smiling, he decided it was best to take his leave. Bowing his head slightly, he said, "See you tomorrow Chloe," before turning to walk away.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: For some reason, I can't seem to write an AU's with original characters. In case you're wondering, I casted Stana Katic for Julia (with a little help from _ _**poetgirl925**__), hopefully you enjoy her character. Chapter 5 should be up soon!  
_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

She had to admit, she looked good, even it did concern her that Oliver knew her measurements. Tonight, the plan was to keep it simple. Say hi, give a little background, move on. She was a technical officer after all, just because she bumped heads with the CEO didn't mean her station was any higher.

_You've bumped more than heads with –_

She pushed that particular thought from her brain, not wanting to think about that again. Her car would arrive any minute and she had to be professional Even if she had no idea what she was doing. When she came here, she thought it would be a board room full of people who made more in a day than she made in a year. But it wasn't to be, as she had to walk through a room where Oliver was probably the only person she knew.

But she could do this. Maybe if she did this, if they liked what they saw, her life could go back to normal. So she left her hotel room, hoping for the best.

**~0~**

The car ride actually wasn't bad, as the driver easily relaxed her. It was getting out of the car and entering the event that caused the nerves to pile up. This wasn't the world she wanted to associate herself with and if she knew that stealing another person's drink order meant that she'd be here, she likely would have waited the ten minutes and ordered the drink herself.

Yet this had been part of her life, avoiding photographers by going out any door they didn't know about. Eventually, it got to the point where Chloe started going out the front door, because all of the photogs waited at the back. The stories were the same, wondering how on earth she ended up in a situation like this, but she didn't have answers for them when she hardly believed it herself.

One perk of that treatment was that the flashing barely fazed her now as she approached the door. She didn't bother responding to the people calling her name like she was some big-shot. All she did was walk, pose once or twice because she figured that was the thing to do, and then kept walking inside to safety. Calmly walking towards the elevator, Chloe took note of the man standing there, asking for her name. She gave it, and then was surprised to see two other workers inside the elevator to escort her there. She knew it wasn't personal service, but she thought it was a little overkill. Trying to talk to them was pointless too, as they kept their words to a minimum. So as she stepped out of the elevator, Chloe was just ready to get this over with.

As she entered the room, people were staring at her, not the majority, but enough to almost make her feel self-conscious. The dress didn't help, as apparently Oliver wanted her to stand out amongst the crowd. She made a mental note to berate to him about that later. While most of the women wore metallic and mild colours, here she was in a bright orange dress. She knew why Oliver picked the particular colour, but the joke had lost its humour before she even entered the building.

Working her way through the crowd, Chloe wasn't exactly sure where to start. She didn't know any of the faces around, nor was it likely she knew what they were talking about. Moving towards the window, she figured she could at least enjoy the skyline for awhile, or at least get her confidence back. Except half-way there, a hand reached on her shoulder, almost scaring Chloe in the process.

"Hey stranger," a familiar voice called out. Turning around, Chloe spotted Julia holding a glass of champagne out to her. "You look like you could use this."

Chloe tilted her head, acknowledging her point. Taking a sip as she glanced around the room, she asked, "He makes you come to these too?"

"Initially, but eventually the keys to the Ferrari and the odd piece of eye candy was worth the free dress." Giving Chloe a proper look head-to-toe, she smiled. "I admit, I wasn't sure how well you'll survive, but Oliver didn't give you much choice with this dress."

"Don't remind me," Chloe said just before she downed most of her champagne. She had to admit that Julia looked incredible too, as her strapless dark blue dress complimented her figure well, from the streamlined bodice, to the textured bottom that carried to the floor with the smallest of trains. The dangling earrings and classic up-do only solidified the look. It was clear that she at least had a clue about what she was doing.

Seeing the gesture, Julia chuckled under her breath. "Keep in mind that he gave you that dress because he knows you have the confidence to pull it off. Getting through the door is half the battle and frankly, you did quite well."

Julia meant every word, as this is a daunting situation for any person, especially for someone who would likely be anywhere else. "Stand straight, walk with purpose... nod at mostly everything and you'll be fine. Between Oliver and myself, you won't be alone. We've both been in your situation and trust me when I say... safety in numbers."

"Thanks," Chloe said slowly, straightening her back a little before taking a deep breath. The nerves had made a little appearance, but talking it through with someone like Julia made things a little easier to bear.

"No problem," Julia replied, glad to see the blonde's eagerness to get through this. Cooperation at this point was crucial if they wanted the people here to believe their story. Placing her drink on one of the waiter's trays, Julia finally spotted Oliver in the crowd, as it bothered her that he wasn't here to greet Chloe. But it seemed that there was another particular blonde keeping him busy, causing Julia to involuntarily groan in disgust. "God, I wish he wouldn't humour them."

Chloe narrowed her eyes after seeing Julia reach back for another glass, but it didn't take too long to figure out what she was commenting about. "Hard to be a playboy if he doesn't sleep with everything that walks." And to think, for one night, Chloe let herself be one of those people.

Julia just smirked as she pointed in the direction where Oliver was standing. "Not everything. The girl chatting him up now believes that she's entitled to an exclusive pass to his bedroom and I've seen her flirt with Oliver at every event in this town." Taking a long sip for dramatic effect, she added, "He's never given in."

After a mild scoff, Chloe replied, "You can't know that." Sure the woman knew Oliver, but there had to be limits, right?

However, Julia shook her head with no hesitation, telling Chloe, "I can actually." She knew that Chloe would be skeptical to her words, but Julia just shrugged, casually adding, "Let's just say that I know when a woman has slept with Oliver Queen."

Chloe almost choked on her drink, but was able to catch herself and swallow properly. "What?"

Julia missed the slip-up as she focused on Oliver placing a hand on her shoulder, all put sealing the fact he was going to walk away. The way women reacted around him... it was all the same. The ones that wanted him were all over him, the ones that had him wanted nothing to do with him. The ones who didn't want him were pretty easy to spot too, based on their interaction. Chloe was the first women who made Julia question her rules, but the more she talked with her, the more she realized that Chloe could be was the exception.

To most women, he was a prize to be won, or a jackass, but with Chloe, Oliver was a human being. Nothing more, nothing less. These days, those people were rare in Oliver's life, which is why Julia knew she had to help out.

"Despite what you think, besides the time I told you about, you'll find that Oliver actually has standards." Smiling as Oliver likely handed her the usual line before he walked away, Julia looked back towards Chloe. "He'll flirt, he'll have his fun, but his penthouse is a little more exclusive than you think."

If that was true, then how had Chloe visited his penthouse three times?

After handing off her empty champagne glass, Julia reached to grab Chloe's hand. "But you can't stand here all day, you need to mingle." Julia knew that Chloe had to show her strengths if she wanted to see peace from within the organization. Except Julia wasn't going to make it easy on her, as she headed towards a trio of board members. If Chloe could get through this, the rest would be fine. "Good evening everyone. Chloe Sullivan, meet Roger Baigmann, Shirley Mak and Martin Wyatt."

Chloe had her game face on, so she smiled widely. "Nice to meet you."

Shirley had nodded her head, looking between her fellow board members. "The pleasure is ours. We were just speaking about the Chinese negotiations."

It was something Chloe didn't know much about, but before she had a chance to ask anything, she heard a groan from the woman beside her. "You know my opinion on that."

Julia's response resulted in a subtle chuckle from who Chloe assumed was Roger. "One you've managed to share with Oliver."

"Everyone is flocking towards China right now, meaning they can name their price." Julia knew this wasn't her place, as it took years for them to take her seriously. But she was never one to hide her opinion and she wasn't about start now. "A bidding war takes time and resources, with no guarantee that you'll get the markets you want."

And so it started, as Chloe watched Julia politely debate with the board members. She did what she had to, nodding, trying to absorb every part of the conversation she could. For a while, she thought everyone had forgotten about her, until Martin had turned to her and asked, "What do you think Chloe?"

She swallowed hard, but that was the only sign of nerves in her system. "I admit, I'm a little out of touch, but I think you're rushing things and Julia may be right about risking opportunities in other emerging markets." Their conversation had given Chloe the background she needed to respond properly and she was also grateful that she had experience with both products in the negotiations.

She explained how the new mobile processing software is still working through some fixable glitches. "But the problem is that they may misinterpret that for a lesser quality product. This software has been your key project for years, there's no need to rush and get the wrong deal. Not to mention the firewall technology, which I tested last week, and I found it to be among the best I've seen."

Sensing that she had been rambling a little, Chloe took a deep breath. "In the end, they should be wondering where they sign, not driving the negotiations." Noticing Roger opening his mouth, Chloe pressed on, having a feeling that she'd regret ignoring him. "It's not that easy, I know, but after all the resources you've put into making these... you don't want to feel ripped off."

Closing her mouth, Chloe grinned, waiting for someone to say something... anything. It was Martin who broke the silence. "Interesting perspective Chloe, thank you."

From there, Chloe took that as her cue to nod and let the conversation take its natural course again. She would pipe up a few more times and fortunately not make a complete fool of herself. When she said goodnight, she noticed a few smiles and Chloe knew she had survived, so she felt herself sigh in relief when she was far enough away.

Julia patted Chloe's back. "Well, you just had a great start." In fact, she had to give the former reporter credit, she did much better than Julia thought she would.

"How so?"

She tried, but Julia couldn't resist rolling her eyes, as Oliver finally decided to make an appearance. "Chloe just survived talking to Wyatt, might have even impressed him." Turning to Chloe, she explained, "One of Queen Industries' toughest board members."

Her head jerking back, Chloe looked back to where she stood not that long ago. It was hard, but in comparison to some of the other things she had gone through, that really wasn't that bad. "With a little business talk? Come on."

"Humble too," Oliver said with a chuckle. "There really is more to Chloe Sullivan that meets the eye."

Noticing the way Chloe blushed and the way Oliver was looking at her, Julia realized that it was probably her cue to exit. "I'm... going to get something to drink," she said quietly, slipping away with a smile on her face.

"What?" Chloe asked, noticing Oliver's grin as well, "There's nothing I just said that overly complicated." The extent of her business knowledge was learned through Business 101 and practical experience. Then it hit her. "But they're used to you bringing bimbos so they thought I knew nothing."

"Not funny," Oliver replied, all but confirming her comment. Sure, there may have been the odd exception, but the majority of the time, Chloe was right. Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he was glad to finally catch up with her. The whole time she was here, Oliver found himself peering in her direction, the dress doing more than giving her justice, even if she would likely bother him about it. But the disadvantage of hosting an event was that everyone wanted to talk to him, so this was the first chance he had to talk to her, and he even missed her big moment.

"Come on... it is a little funny." Chuckling under her breath, Chloe elbowed Oliver slightly, giving him a quick smile as she walked ahead of him. "You know, I'm really starting to question your sense of humour." A wink later and she turned around into the crowd, leaving Oliver alone with what was becoming a familiar grin on his face.

"Oliver," a voice called out to him from behind he briefly looked over his shoulder before turning around fully.

"Martin," he said as held his hand out towards his board member, "It's good to see you tonight."

Martin nodded before pointing towards the direction where Chloe was walking. "Mind me asking again where you found her?"

Smiling as Chloe had found her way into another conversation, effortlessly charming the crowd, just like he thought she would. "The Kent gala last month," he said calmly, as if he didn't know any better, Oliver would have thought she was a veteran in this crowd.

"And she's a technical officer?" It was an entry-level position, but Martin had never seen anyone take it with as much pride as Ms. Sullivan, impressive considering she had held the position for such a short period of time.

"For now."

"Good," Martin replied as he tapped Oliver's shoulder. "Because she can do better."

**~0~**

Chloe didn't need to go to the bathroom, or wash her hands, or powder her nose. She just needed a moment to breathe and fresh air required a paparazzi photo. Except peace wasn't about to be found in the ladies room, as the flush went off behind her.

"You're doing fine," Julia said as she walked over to the sink next to her. "So stop worrying."

"Who said I was worried?"

Chloe didn't have to, it was written all over her face, which was crazy. Julia had watched as she survived quite nicely on her own whenever Oliver was whisked away. "Safety in numbers, come on."

However, right before they went to leave, another bathroom stall opened, followed by a bitter statement of, "He's not interested in you."

Glancing up, Chloe vaguely recognized the woman as the one who was with Oliver earlier. "Look, I just work for Oliver. If you want to be next notch, I'm not competition." With a shrug, she wanted to leave it at that, but instead, she accidentally blurted out, "But I don't think Oliver's interested in you either."

Julia's eyes had widened upon hearing that, but that was nothing in compared to the blonde's reaction. "Excuse me?"

Not wanting to deal with the heiress, Julia stepped in between Chloe and Ivy and said, "I think you heard her just fine Ivy, unless your ears are inept due to all of your plastic surgery."

It was safe to say that Chloe had expected a retort from Julia, but this clearly escalating more than she wanted it to. Tapping Julia's shoulder, Chloe was hoping to calm the situation down. "Julia, I'm –"

"It's none of your business," Ivy interjected, increasing the already high amount of animosity.

But Julia wasn't backing down, so she just shrugged. "It is when she speaks the truth." Stepping closer to her, she added slowly, "Back off."

Eyebrows raising, Ivy wasn't satisfied with that. "When will you see that you'll always be the bridesmaid, Julia?"

Julia never expected Ivy to back off, but that particular comment was the furthest thing she was expected. "Wow, just when I thought you couldn't be any more dense." The papers had given up on their potential 'status' over three years ago, meaning that Ivy was just trying to get under her skin, but Julia was more than willing to use that to her advantage.

Counting down the seconds, Ivy predictably flung herself towards Julia. But before Chloe had a chance to blink, Julia twisted Ivy's arm behind her back, causing her to scream, so Julia pushed her away.

"I could sue you for that!"

"You could," Julia acknowledged as she mockingly swiped her hands, because she was more than used to Ivy's threats, "but Oliver's lawyers against yours..."

She thought about finishing that sentence, but it wasn't what Ivy needed to hear. Julia figured that what she was going to say would fall on deaf ears, but she had to try, "Your daddy's worth plenty of money, but one of these days, you have to learn to stand on your own two feet."

It was a lesson Oliver had to learn quickly, but didn't. Despite her mother's best efforts, he still rebelled for years, and just before she thought he'd be the perfect CEO, he snapped. It was an understandable reason, but it had been a long journey back to respectability. However, those hardships probably were necessary for him to find his independence. Julia had nothing against Ivy's father, which meant that apples could fall far from the tree, but if Oliver had been anything like Ivy... she would have left years ago. Yet that didn't mean Ivy couldn't change.

Unfortunately, Ivy huffed and left the bathroom, but not before giving Chloe a harsh glare. Chloe wasn't about to goad the women, so when the door closed, she asked, "Do you think she'll-"

Both women stilled as they heard a loud shrill, "Bitch!" causing them both to fail holding back their laughter.

Once she stopped, Julia sighed as she looked towards the door. It wouldn't surprise her if Ivy did sue her, as people had been sued for less in their world. However, regardless of what happened, she knew, "Oliver still has my back, which means more in the end."

"I could have handled myself you know."

Julia had considered the possibility, so she quietly apologized. "That's like a reflex when you've been dealing with this as long as I have. I know it looks petty... but it's the only way."

Chloe narrowed her eyes as she tried to understand, "Why stick it out then?"

With a shrug, Julia replied, "Because some people are worth the trouble." With Oliver, she was still his friend, and the board had warmed to her too. But the truth was that this was really all she knew. "I don't know about you, but I think I've had enough of the ladies room for awhile."

As they re-entered the room, they immediately noticed people turning their heads towards the door. Chloe shouldn't have been surprised, as Ivy's scream was a little over the top, but she hoped for a chance that people didn't connect the dots.

However, Oliver was quick to step in front of them, escorting both women to an empty part of the room. "Do I even want to know what happened?"

"Not likely," Julia immediately replied. Seeing the waiter across the room, Julia realized that while she pretended to need one before, she really needed a drink after that. "Later you two."

"Was there that much of a scene?"

Oliver pursed his lips together as he remembered hearing the scream, even over the music in the room. "Ivy's a little bit of a prima donna." Leading her to the dance floor, Oliver hoped that acting naturally would allow the room to return to their normal activities. "I was really hoping that you two wouldn't cross paths."

In hindsight, Chloe wished she had kept her mouth shut. But it wasn't going to help her, so she just placed her hands accordingly, ignoring the way her head practically rested against his chest. "Who is she?"

"Heiress of an investment firm," Oliver replied, ensuring that he lowered his voice as he added, "She's annoying as hell, but I have no choice."

Smirking at his comment, Chloe soon lifted her head. "Invite lists are what they are, I take it."

"Exactly," Oliver admitted, spinning Chloe before pulling her back close. They stayed there on the floor for at least three songs, almost oblivious to the room around them. Eventually, Oliver looked down at Chloe and asked, "Do you want to get out of here?"

Initially surprised by the question, Chloe was reminded about Oliver's comment in the Ace of Clubs about leaving early. As she stared at him, she could sense something different in his eyes, but the truth was that she had enough of this for one night. "Yeah, I do."

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: I'm am not a business/software expert, nor do I pretend to be. The links to the dresses are on my profile page._


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Stepping out of the elevator, Oliver turned to look at Chloe. "No quip this time," he said, remarking as to how quiet she had been in general since they had left.

But she just shrugged as she slipped off her coat, déjà vu peeking through. It didn't help that Julia's words from earlier were still ringing in her head, no matter how many times she tried to push them aside. "Doesn't feel necessary." It may be a different place, but most of the decorating still served as a smokescreen to the persona. However, that didn't stop Chloe from smiling in relief, feeling her feet against the cool floor once her shoes were removed.

"So... tonight wasn't so bad, right?"

"I've had worse nights," Chloe admitted, as she honestly thought this would have gone worse than it did.

After a laugh, Oliver said, "I bet I can guess one of them."

"I'm supposed to be the level-headed one, the one with answers, the ... _sane _one." Falling back against his couch, she sighed. "But no, I go out, drink senseless and pass out in a cab. Not to mention the paparazzi aftermath."

Oliver's eyes widened, as that wasn't the night he was referring to. "I don't think anyone can be level-headed all the time, including you." In fact, this moment was probably the most relaxed he had ever seen her. Not caring about sitting straight, not worrying about _anything_, just lying down without a care in the world.

Chloe smirked, admitting softly, "You're probably right." But that didn't mean that Chloe wouldn't try, as letting go didn't have the best consequences in her experience.

"Sometimes," he said as he sat down on a chair across from her, "it's good to just turn off your brain... let yourself live a little." Oliver was a little surprised that he finished the sentence, as the way Chloe was lying on the couch allowed for the slit to practically show off her legs to him. It wasn't much, but it was enough for a reminder of how for one night, there were no fears, seemingly no consequences and she showed Oliver just how passionate she was. For that stuck longer than anything else, that intrigued him more than anything else.

"Real subtle, Oliver."

He thought he had been caught staring, but when Oliver turned his head, he noticed Chloe looking nowhere near him. The implication of her comment was soon found, and he was surprised that she went there. "You could have left any time during the night, but you stayed."

Sitting up, Chloe shook her head. It was crazy to think that they hadn't actually talked about the night they met. It was mentioned in subtle jabs, but never as an actual conversation. It probably wasn't protocol in one night stands, but knowing him now, Chloe realized that it was probably a good thing to bring this to the surface.

"As much as it pains me to admit this, the sex was worth it." It was something that Oliver already knew, thanks to her cousin's lack of subtlety, but she didn't want to lie to him about it either.

"You're not too shabby either," Oliver replied, further replaying their first night together in his head. Seeing her leave that morning, there was a part of him that wanted to make her stay, and normally he would have. However he backed off, for reasons that he didn't understand then, but he was starting to see now.

Chloe wanted to believe him, but years of experience taught her otherwise, so she couldn't help but laugh. Yet when she turned her head towards him, she noticed how his expression didn't change. "You're being serious."

Oliver narrowed his eyes, as her statement still had a hint of question. "Is that so hard to believe?"

After a roll of her eyes, Chloe found herself standing, walking away from the couch, away from him. "How pathetic does it sound if I say yes?"

"It doesn't." Looking towards her now, he wondered how someone who could carry herself with so much confidence could have this kind of vulnerability. "It just means that..."

The funny thing was that he knew exactly how he was going to finish that sentence, but it was nothing she hadn't heard before and Oliver was pretty sure that she would never believe it coming from him. "Never mind. It's none of my business."

Her eyes staring at the floor, Chloe gained the courage to ask, "Can I ask you a really weird question?" When Oliver didn't immediately reply, she took a deep breath. "Did you really care about Lois?"

His head jerked back slightly, as the question wasn't one he ever expected from Chloe. But she wanted the truth, so Oliver gave it to her. "I still do, but in a different way. Until Lois told me that we weren't going to work out... I didn't really see how messed up we really were." When they dated, she was a positive aspect of his life, a rarity back then. But Lois made him realize that he was holding onto an idea rather than a person. However, coming to Metropolis to clear the air, despite the frustration that came with it, was the right thing to do. "We're better as friends."

"Probably everyone is," Chloe replied, running her hand on the edge of the couch, stopping to lean her back against it, still facing away from him. "Relationships... suck." Or at least hers did.

"So there was something between you and the soon-to-be senator's son?" He had hoped to see more of a reaction, but all he could see from his angle was Chloe shaking her head. But once he left his seat to walk carefully towards Chloe, Oliver could see that her eyes told a different story. "You mind me asking what you see in him."

Chloe didn't expect him to ever understand, nor could she fully explain the childhood crush she carried around for years. "Clark is... a nice guy."

It sounded pathetic, Chloe knew that, but she didn't expect to see Oliver practically holding back laughter before he finally replied, "Nice? I take it that he's sweet and caring too?"

The snide comment was true, but not in the connotation Oliver wanted it to be, so Chloe leaned over to slap his arm. "Wipe that grin off your face." Standing back where she was, Chloe looked up, noticing the smile had persisted, so she shrugged. "There is nothing wrong with being a good guy." Even if he was such a good guy that he said nothing, unintentionally bruising Chloe's heart on more than one occasion.

Oliver pretended to think about it, but he stood by his assessment of the man. "Besides the fact that he's probably quite dull."

Oliver may have expected a form of defence, but Chloe laughing at him wasn't the form he anticipated. "If that's what you think, then you know _nothing _about Clark Kent."

"Regardless, he's still an idiot. So is your ex."

Her eyebrows furrowed at the insinuation. Sure, she had been frustrated at Clark, but they had been mending their friendship as each day went by. Jimmy too had taken their truce seriously. Regardless, Oliver had no right to judge the people in her life when, besides Julia, his company of friends seemed questionable if anyone believed half the stuff the tabloids printed. "How can you say that? You don't know them."

"One let you go," Oliver said easily, "and the other clearly underestimates you or takes you for granted. That's all I need to know." Jimmy he could possibly give a pass, as Chloe was right, he didn't really know the man. But Clark was another story.

He knew they were childhood friends and when he first met Chloe, he could spot that there were clear unrequited feelings on her part. For some reason, despite knowing her for so long, Clark either didn't see or fully appreciate the wonders of her character.

But all that comment did was increase Chloe's confusion as to where this was coming from. Sure, they bantered before, but this was different. Since the event where they were officially introduced, Clark never came into the conversation, and true, Chloe may have started it with asking about Lois, but there was no need for him to throw out accusations like this.

She was about to say something, but Oliver had seen the frustration in her eyes. "I'm sorry if that sounded harsh, but I don't know how anyone could overlook you."

Eyes softening, Chloe noticed how he swallowed hard after that admission. "You don't really know me either," she said, averting her eyes again. "For all you know, I did something to deserve it." It wasn't completely off-base, because if she had been honest with Jimmy, things might have been different. Clark... who knew on that front?

But Oliver couldn't judge her situation from that perspective, he only knew the facets of the woman who captivated him from the moment he saw her leave the bar with his drink. "You're right; we are still getting to know each other." Stepping closer, Oliver wanted her to look up at him, so he added, "But we both know that getting fired wasn't the only reason you showed up to the Ace of Clubs."

Her heartbeat increasing slightly as she noticed his increasing proximity from the corner of her eye, Chloe felt her eyes narrow. "What does it matter, Oliver? What do you want me to s–"

The word would remain incomplete, as Oliver moved quicker than Chloe had anticipated. She never saw his head lean forward, as the first thing she noticed was the sensation of his fingertips colliding with her cheeks, seconds before she felt his lips on hers. The kiss didn't start off overly passionate, which allowed Chloe the easy opportunity to back away. She just didn't take it.

Instead, she forgot her frustration and reached forward to clutch his shirt in her hands, allowing her to stand as close to him as she could. Her heart continued to race, the pressure starting to build up in her lungs, but for a few seconds, she didn't think about it, she just acted and for once, Chloe felt... alive.

With Oliver, it seemed like that was her only option. It was almost as if he forced her to act, but in a way that made Chloe _want _to act. For her whole life, decisions were always part of a plan, a scheduled outline. So when her plan derailed, and he showed up, giving her a way out, Chloe always figured it was because it was a vulnerable time and that she was desperate. But the more time they spent together, the more Chloe felt genuinely drawn to him.

But the mere thought of that was all it took for Chloe to start panicking inside, because she knew that this... this couldn't happen again. Yet as everything told her to back away, to run out of there, she was frozen, even as Oliver pulled away. Her eyes remained closed as she was afraid to look at him, afraid that everything would be revealed in a single look.

Because what if this was what he wanted from her all along? What if she was wrong about him? Even if that wasn't the case, Chloe suddenly couldn't get the image of Lois out of her head. She didn't want to admit it, especially considering the way he made her feel, but everything here pointed to a rebound.

A deep breath later, Chloe eyes slowly opened, peering up at him and she just decided to say it. "We can't do this."

Oliver felt her hesitance as she pulled away, but nonetheless, he reached up to play with her hair. "Why not?"

"Because... things are different now." Chloe wasn't a fool, as the draw to Oliver was more than physical. She appreciated how easy it was to talk with him not to mention that the things he had admitted tonight implied a strong belief in her.

But that didn't matter, all Chloe knew was that she had to get out. "It may not seem like it, but this is going _way _too fast and I'm pretty sure that it wasn't long ago that you wanted someone else." Backing away from him slowly, she added, "I've been a second choice all my life, so until you know for sure what you want... I... I can't."

She got into the elevator without a second thought, part of her hoping that he would say something, but he didn't. Even as she exited the building, she thought maybe he would make another appearance. But with one final glance toward the doors before entering her cab, she silently gave him credit for respecting her wishes. He always had a knack of doing that.

But unfortunately with that, the seed of doubt had been planted, leaving Chloe to revert back to her old insecurities, suddenly grateful that she wasn't going to be in Star City for much longer.

**~0~**

She didn't sleep at all that night. How could she?

Regret didn't run through her veins, however, it had to stop. The whole thing had been written off in her mind as a fleeting attraction, something Chloe knew would fade away. All she had to do was forget about it, something that wasn't coming easy.

Tossing in her sheets again, Chloe gave up as she looked out the window, daylight starting to creep in. So finally, she got out of bed and pulled back the blinds, staring at the day ahead. It was only a matter of time before she went home anyway and if time wasn't going to make her forget, the country in-between them surely wouldn't hurt.

Next was her morning shower, as she stripped down in the bathroom, trying to get him off her mind. However, every single time she closed her eyes, all Chloe could see was his signature grin. It wasn't like last time, when her body twitched in response to the water against her body. Instead, it was just... him that got under her skin. And no amount of cold water was going to fix that.

So when she finished her shower, she thought about calling Julia to arrange an earlier flight, but before Chloe could reach her phone, there was an insistent knocking on her door. Not expecting company, Chloe felt her eyes narrow as she wrapped the towel around herself even tighter. Before opening the door, Chloe looked momentarily through the peephole, glad to see the subject of her next call had already found her way to her doorstep.

"Hey," Chloe said as she opened the door. "Come on in."

"I can't stay long, I'm afraid," Julia replied as she took in Chloe's appearance. "I see why you weren't picking up your phone."

Chloe's eyes narrowed, trying to figure out how she would have missed her calls. She wasn't in the shower for _that _long. "Did I miss something?"

"Yeah." Julia reached into her bag and grabbed an envelope. "I can't fly you home this afternoon." Frowning as she watched Chloe take the airline ticket from her, she added, "There's a last-minute overseas business meeting that Oliver has to attend."

Looking at the time of the ticket, it seemed like someone liked her up there. In fact, this probably worked out better. "That's okay."

On the top half of the ticket was a business card with Julia's information. As Chloe's thumb brushed the card, Julia said, "On the back is my personal cell number. I just thought... don't be a stranger, okay?"

Chloe noticed the way that she changed her sentence and she wanted to say that she'd keep in touch, except she had this sneaking suspicion that wasn't going to be the case. "I'll try." After all, a compromise was the best she could do.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: Bad news/good news. Bad news: This is going on hiatus until I update a chapter for another fic that I've stared at for 6 months. Once that's posted, then I'm back for Chapter 7. Good news: I finally started writing it and the hiatus shouldn't be more than a week. Also, there is a slight chance of there being 9 parts instead of 8._


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After returning to Kansas, things fell back into a pseudo-sense of normal. Working at her station, ensuring firewalls were being upheld, writing code. Child's play really, but at least it paid. An advantage to doing work at her pace was that for eight hours, she could forget. It didn't matter what name was on the top of her pay cheque, nor did it matter the name of the building. Whatever happened in Star City was just a passing thing that had run its course. If nothing else, the headlines on Oliver's behavior since she concluded her visit two months ago made that clear.

But when she was at home, things were different. With her friendship with Clark still mending, there were no supersaves that he needed help with, reducing Chloe to sitting at home with a microwave-ready meal and the television. News was still relatively silent, which almost made her miss the days of running conspiracies.

Lois would suggest going out to see a movie, but Chloe would insist on staying in. Sure, the photographers finally gave up on her, but it wasn't enough. Which is why she was on her way to a familiar farm, to see a face she had been avoiding for long enough.

Noticing Clark walking in the barn, she walked towards it slowly, hearing the crunch of the rocks under her feet, still trying to figure out the answers she was looking for. Once inside, she felt herself smirk, as Clark hadn't noticed her presence yet, which wasn't the norm. "I keep wondering what would happen if this situation was even remotely normal." That succeeded in getting his attention, along with a confused reaction, so Chloe started walking up the steps to the loft where Clark was. "Sure, on paper it _sounds _normal, but when you add all the asterisks... it ends up a pretty muddled story."

Considering she didn't lead with a hello, Clark knew she had something on her mind. Unfortunately, he was still missing the point of what she said. "What exactly?"

"The fact that I should be cutting you out of my life, moving on from our whole scenario." Walking past him towards the window of sorts that showed the view of the farm, Chloe rested her hands on the sill. "For months, I wanted to hate you. In fact, I should hate you, but I don't."

Clark laughed in relief. "I'm... glad?" For weeks, it had been short phone calls, distant texts, the odd visit, but nothing concrete. Clark wanted to take this voluntary visit as a good sign, but he didn't want to make any assumptions. "Chloe, what are you doing here?"

"Trying to find Chloe 1.0." It was silly, but before she was fired, things were simpler and it seemed like the world was at her fingertips. "Back when I had of potential, promise. Now I just feel... stuck."

"You miss journalism."

Chloe rolled her eyes, knowing that she didn't miss Lex, nor did she miss almost getting caught every few months for a story that just got buried. If nothing else, the job change was probably helping her blood pressure.

However, she replied, "That's the thing, I don't know." Because with that adrenalin rush came a sense of purpose, a reason to wake up in the morning. As grateful as she was for her current job, it didn't force her to have that same kind of ambition.

Knowing Chloe as well as he did, despite the distance, Clark knew the job switch would get to her. It took her a lot longer to come to this conclusion than he thought, but it seemed like that time was now. "So the job at Queen Industries isn't panning out."

"I can't say," Chloe said, shaking her head again. Testing prominent technology, helping an international company push forward in their markets, those things had benefits too. Just... different benefits than Chloe was used to. Moving backwards, she eventually fell back against his couch, leaning her head back against the top cushion. "Does that make sense?"

To her surprise when she looked down again, she noticed Clark nod. "You've put others above yourself for so long that you don't know what to do with your life now." Sitting next to her, he grabbed her hand reassuringly. "So my advice is to stick with something that makes you happy. If anyone deserves it, it's you."

For years, she would have overestimated the small token of empathy, but now as Chloe took his hand, she knew the reality of their situation. And the crazy thing was that she accepted it too. "You know, I actually missed when things were like this." Back when _they _were simple, for as long ago as it was, the time did exist.

"Chloe, I never meant to hurt you, and you weren't the only one who took time to figure out what to do. I should have been honest a long time ago."

"As hard as it was to admit," Chloe said, holding back the eye roll this time, "I always knew it wasn't going to be me, but I couldn't let it go." It took longer than she wanted, but she finally grew up, saw beyond the stupid butterflies and maintained a friendship that she needed right now.

Noticing how Chloe had spaced out a little, Clark broke the silence, ensuring that she knew, "Just know that I'll always be here for you Chloe, no matter what happens."

"Thanks," Chloe said as she got up from the couch.

Confused again, Clark turned his head and asked, "Did that... help at all?" He wasn't sure how this helped Chloe find what she was looking for, and sure enough, he was right.

"Not really, but it accomplished something else." It got all of their crap out in the open, while solidifying their friendship moving forward. It was a small win in Chloe's book, but the fact that this facet of her life actually made sense was promising. "I am grateful for where we are right now, Clark. Thank you."

Clark just smiled, so Chloe descended the steps and took her leave. A lot of words that Clark said rung true. In fact, she hardly believed that she heard them from Clark. Maybe in the end, the distance gave them the perspective they needed to move on.

Halfway to her car, she suddenly heard other footsteps on the path, and as she looked up, a familiar smile greeted her, "Chloe."

"Jimmy."

Driving to Smallville was just a quick visit on his part, but Jimmy was glad to see Chloe now. It had been too long since he had seen her, and he hoped that she meant it when she said they could start over. "How are you?"

"Better," Chloe replied, for as lost as she felt right now, it beat the pent-up frustration she knew when she last saw Jimmy. "You?"

"Fine, just dropping off a few tools with CK."

Her eyes narrowed, as she never pegged Jimmy as an overly handy guy, but things seemed to be changing around her, so she let it pass. "Well, I'll let you get to it."

He let her get a couple steps by him, but Jimmy soon found himself closing his eye before asking, "You want to get a drink next weekend?"

Chloe was understandably surprised by the offer, but that didn't stop her from saying, "Sure." Watching Jimmy turn around, she was quick to add, "But do you mind if we have it at my place? I could do without the loud music."

Jimmy nodded. "Yeah, that would work for me."

**~0~**

Hearing the knock on the door, Chloe quickly checked the clock. Jimmy was known for being punctual, but this was earlier than she anticipated. Quickly checking her appearance in the mirror, Chloe headed towards the door, surprised to see someone else at her door.

"Lois?" And not just her cousin, but her cousin in full-out mission mode. If the dress she was wearing didn't sell that point, the way she just assumed that she was invited in did.

Walking straight to her bedroom, Lois asked, "Are you expecting someone else?"

Sighing as she closed her door, she called out, "Yeah actually."

"Well, whatever it is... it can wait." Lois poked her head back into the main area, gesturing for Chloe to join her. "We're going out tonight."

Pressing her fingers against her forehead, Chloe closed her eyes after she saw her cousin disappear again. "Lois, I can't just cancel. I have plans." Another sigh later, and Chloe found herself in the doorway of her bedroom, slightly shocked at the way Lois had practically taken apart her closet already.

"Nice try," Lois replied as she held up a dress in her hands. "Because it's the perfect night to put on a sexy dress and dance with strangers."

Entering her bedroom, Chloe was surprised as she held up some of the hangers. Just how many crazy dresses did Lois buy for her that she never intended on wearing? "I appreciate the effort, but Jimmy's going to be here any second."

"Jimmy?" Lois repeated out of disbelief, causing her to drop the hanger she was holding. That was a name she hadn't heard her cousin say in a long time and the last thing she wanted to hear was for Chloe to relapse in a relationship that had run its course.

Chloe saw that reaction coming from a mile away, which is why she never mentioned to Lois that she was meeting him. Hanging a few of the dresses back up, she admitted, "He asked if we could talk and I'm going to listen. Just because our relationship didn't work doesn't mean we can't be friends."

Crossing her arms, Lois waited for her cousin to turn around. "Right."

The skepticism was duly noted and it was enough for Chloe to finally ask, "Lois, can you tell me what's going on?"

"Well," Lois said as she held out a dress over Chloe's body, but quickly shook her head, "you've hardly gone out since Star City and with the recent headlines, I figured that –"

Chloe scoffed as she realized the truth. "This is about Oliver? Come on Lois, he's entitled to live his life however he pleases." Grabbing the remainder of the hangers, Chloe hung them up again. "If nothing else, it kills the paparazzi presence at my door, which is a win situation as far as I'm concerned."

Seeing that, plus her abrupt exit of the bedroom wasn't the reaction Lois was hoping for, but the one she expected. That displayed her cousin's full-blown denial over everything, as the headlines weren't just nothing. They almost made Lois want to fly down and give Oliver a piece of her mind.

The playboy image seemed to be full-steam ahead. Booze, girls and late nights were filling up Oliver's calendar lately and the loving press was there every step of the way. Not helping him was a date with the troublemaker actress du jour that Lois had heard about just the other day. If he wanted to take the heat off Chloe, this was the way to do it, as her cousin was right about one thing. The photographers weren't around nearly as often, and as of three weeks ago, they stopped caring altogether.

But it wasn't just the headlines that worried Lois. Whenever Chloe didn't think Lois was looking, she'd glance down at her phone and they both knew that she wasn't looking for Clark number anymore. No matter what Chloe said, Lois knew better. Despite the limited interaction she had witnessed, she had heard the way Chloe talked to him on the phone, the way Oliver talked about her when he was talking to Lois, not to mention all the precautions he had taken during the photograph kerfuffle. No matter how much Chloe denied it, it was clear that she liked him.

Unfortunately, if her cousin was going to be naïve about it, there was nothing Lois could do. Not yet anyway.

"To be clear," Lois finally said as she rejoined her cousin in the kitchen, "nothing is happening between you and Jimmy?"

"Besides two friends having drinks? No." Chloe replied as she pulled a couple bottles out of her liquor cabinet. "And there's no reason that you can't go out and have fun without me."

"Fine," Lois said casually, realizing that she didn't want to be here when Jimmy got here anyway. "I'll see you tomorrow." That gave Lois time to consider how she was going to fix this, because she couldn't stand by anymore and watch them both live in denial.

* * *

_Sera's Scribbles: Not going to lie- I wrote about 70% of this chapter during the last 3 hours. People were boo'ing the hiatus, so I wanted to make up for that (even though as far as hiatuses go- this wasn't really a hiatus). _


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

It took a minute to set up their drinks, settle on her couch as Chloe's night finally started going according to plan after Lois' impromptu visit, which fortunately ended before Jimmy arrived. "So how are things at the _Daily Planet_?" She liked that things were like this, that she could feel so relaxed around him again.

"People miss you, and I mean that." Remembering something as he lowered his glass to the table, Jimmy smirked. "I wish you would have seen Lex's face when he found out about your employment with Queen Industries."

Chloe held her hand to her mouth to contain her laughter. "You saw it?"

It was a fluke, as Lex wanted his own employee for a early photo-op. The bombshell of Chloe's encounter with Oliver Queen was highly unexpected, but no one was more surprised than the man who fired her. "No one notices the junior photographer in the background. If my camera was on, I would have shown you, trust me."

Part of her wanted to see that reaction, to see the look on his face that made him realize that he didn't beat her. However, that satisfaction had been waning by the day. "Yeah, well... I've moved on."

"I've noticed," Jimmy replied, looking down momentarily. "I know this is hardly my place but... regarding the whole Oliver Queen thing... I waited to get your side of things." The rumble around work was insane and it was impossible not to have an opinion, but with Chloe, there was always a reasonable explanation. Jimmy knew that he owed her the chance to explain her side of things.

"We're..." What were they exactly? "Acquaintances I guess." Even that felt like a stretch these days. "The whole thing was blown out of proportion really."

Such was the consequence of tabloid media, but Jimmy couldn't resist one final jab. "So you're not...?"

"The crazy jealous baby-mama of Star City's most eligible bachelor?" Chloe finished, tilting her head before sipping her drink. "No."

That wasn't the story if he had relied to Lois, as he could see her frustration on this matter heighten at work. From Chloe's reaction, most of her poker face was solid, but deep down, even Jimmy noticed that wasn't the whole story. But again, not his place. "Well, at least you did find a job."

Chloe nodded. "A more unorthodox method than I intended... but I'm grateful." It was a start to get back on her feet anyway, but she had done enough dwelling for a month. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Suddenly, Jimmy went silent. "Right... that."

"Jimmy, are you okay?"

He rolled his eyes, knowing that the way he was acting was silly. "I will be when you tell me that I'm overreacting to this. I... met someone."

Jimmy was right; he was overreacting, but the sentiment was appreciated. Shrugging, Chloe told him, "We said our peace, so go for it."

Smiling again, Jimmy replied, "For the record, I think in another lifetime... we would have worked." One where the world wasn't so complicated and Chloe didn't have half her ambition. However, Jimmy would never want her to compromise herself, so if they had to be friends, so be it. "But I think you'll be sitting on top of the world again soon." Lifting his glass, he added, "Just promise to send me a postcard when you get there."

"If you're right," Chloe replied as she chinked his glass, "I think I can handle that."

**~0~**

One advantage to being the friend of Oliver Queen is that she could chat up the doorman and the valet worker without getting told to leave the entryway of the building. In fact, she could even convince them to play along in what she had planned. She knew what she was about to do was a little over the top, but someone had to knock some sense into him. Julia was the closest thing he had to family and she wasn't about to let him shut down again.

The date with Paula Brecker was one thing, as the actress got Oliver's playboy billing up and running. She wasn't someone Julia wanted him anywhere near as she ran with the wrong crowds of people. However, that was nothing in comparison to her getting the call that Oliver went out to the nearest strip joint tonight. He hadn't been to one of those in years, so it had to stop.

Hearing laughter as Oliver's Ferrari pulled up, Julia gawked as she saw the bimbo occupying the passenger seat. Stepping outside, she felt herself taking a deep breath. It was now or never.

"Oliver," Julia said with a smile and a knowing glare. "You're late." Looking inside, she gestured for the valet boy to come out. "No worries miss," she said with a grin, "Max here will drive you home."

All Oliver had to do was drive away from this, but when his friend's glare hardened and her eyebrows raised, all he could do was shake his head as he pulled open his door. He had to give her credit, as Max was one of the few building employees that Oliver trusted with his car. However, that didn't stop him from practically grumbling, "Nice to see you too."

She probably deserved that, but Julia quickly turned on her heel, walking back into the building. "Well, it's not _my _fault that you're late for the emergency meeting that the board called twenty minutes ago."

Oliver felt his eyes narrow as he followed her. It would explain her attitude, as whenever his personal life took over his professional life, Julia always seemed to give him a hard time. But this time, it didn't add up. "Who calls a meeting at midnight?"

Stopping in front of the door of the main floor boardroom, Julia sold another glare in his direction. "All I know is that I got a call because you were late. Then you were ignoring my calls."

Oliver swallowed hard as he realized that maybe the ten times he hit the ignore button was a bad call. "Look, I'm sorry, but –" He stopped talking as he entered the room, seeing how it was empty and no sign of it ever being used that night. "Julia, what the hell?"

"Okay, I'll cut the crap." Because the truth was that she could have called the board together in this case, but that wouldn't have worked. Once the door firmly closed, Julia approached Oliver, reaching up to smack the backside of his head. It had been a long time since she had done that, but tonight, it felt necessary. "This game you're playing stops now."

Placing his hand where she slapped him, Oliver turned around. "Come on, this isn't anything I haven't done before."

That may have been true, but it wasn't what Julia wanted to hear either. "No it's not." Stepping past him, she lowered herself into a chair, crossed her legs. "But last time that happened, I spent an hour in traffic, twenty minutes trying to get past reporters, all to find out that you almost gave up on your life."

Oliver shook his head, not seeing how this connected, but that didn't stop him from saying, "You know why that happened." After all, he knew that what had inexplicably transformed into a turning point for him was one of the hardest nights she experienced, topped only by the night that led Oliver drink that hard months later.

"You're damn right that I remember," Julia replied, albeit calmer than she had intended. "I told you not to research into it, but no, you had to find out the truth." It didn't take long for Julia to find her feet again, squeezing her eyes shut at the memory. He would never tell her where he got the proof, but Oliver had somehow found out that the plane crash wasn't an accident. A month of research, and he found the truth.

"I can't imagine what it's like to lose both parents, but my father was collateral damage to Lionel, so how do you think that makes me feel?" To him, her father was a nobody, disposable, as she doubted that a man like him would ever see the value in his help. The Queens were different, but a lot of good that served them.

She threw her hands out to the side, holding back the frustration she felt in this moment. For as much as Lionel Luthor made her angry, she couldn't change the past... and he wasn't the reason this conversation was happening. "But it was you that shut down and shut everyone out to become this... thing." For almost five months, Oliver was unrecognizable and it had nothing to do with looks. "Even though he was dead when we found out, it didn't matter because you had to wallow in self-pity."

She hated being this emotional, but there were consequences to letting this pile up for two months. That why it had to stop now. "I'm taking a week's vacation and if you're pulling this crap when I get back... expect my resignation letter on your desk."

"Julia –"

"You think I want to say that? It makes me sick because you're like _family _to me, Oliver." But even she had limits because she had gone through enough of this for one lifetime. "If you won't listen to me now, you never will."

For a minute, they stared at each other, silence and tension thick in the air. Knowing there was no easy way out of this, Oliver approached the table and pulled out the chair across the one Julia had previously used. "It's complicated."

There, in those two words, was the first glimmer of hope that Julia had seen in days. "So you really are still in there?" she said, somehow finding a chuckle beneath her frustration. Sitting back down, she went for it, knowing she couldn't back down now. "You want to explain how the only non-millionaire to ever sit on my plane got under your skin like this?"

Oliver raised an eyebrow. "Your plane?"

She couldn't tell if he was purposely ignoring the point, but if Oliver refused to answer that question, that was fine with Julia. She would find another way. "I've lost count how many magazine covers I've seen you accompanied by a woman. Chloe is the first one that you went out of your way to call."

What was he supposed to say? He could claim that it wasn't true, but Oliver knew better than to insult Julia's intelligence. "She's... different."

"That's true," Julia replied, knowing by the look on his face that he was already screwed. "She's smart, witty... and the first women who managed a conversation with the board that wasn't about the weather."

That didn't even begin to cover what Oliver found fascinating about her. There was her drive to make the world a better place, the way she could actually trust him with things she probably didn't tell Lois. But more than anything, there was the fact that she had seen the person behind all the crap in the headlines... and stuck around.

However, that all faded away when she walked away. He called a couple of times, but when it went to voicemail, he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Her message was clearly sent and he would respect that. Sure, throwing the rest of his positive reputation by the wayside wasn't the best reaction, but this was the only reaction he knew. Because he knew that, "It won't happen."

"Why not?"

Oliver scoffed. "She ever tell you how we met?" It was a throwaway question, as he figured that once Julia knew that, she would understand, but her response was far from expected.

"I never asked, but I think I already know." She couldn't prove it, but the way Oliver's face slipped gave her everything she needed. "I saw the photos from the Kansas tabloid. She had to have been to the penthouse before if you brought her there and I can count on one hand how many women you've brought there." It helped that Julia stayed with Oliver while they went on business trips together and that she was a very light sleeper. "I can also count on one hand the activities that occur there with women who aren't me."

For a minute, Oliver thought about refuting it, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that was never going to happen. "You know me almost _too _well."

Such were the perks of growing up with someone. "So do you, which is why you don't let the line-up of bimbos ruin my breakfast." Granted, he did let it happen once, but Oliver was quick to learn from his mistakes. "I abandoned ship the night Lois shot you down because even though I knew nothing would happen between you two, I figured space would be best."

When she did that, Julia figured that he'd drink himself silly and get over it, maybe even wallow at the clocktower. She didn't expect him to find the first girl she could actually stand him dating. Granted, that depended on them waking up and realizing their own chemistry. "I'm not saying you have to marry the girl, but why not try to see if you're compatible?" Which they were, but... baby steps.

Unfortunately, Oliver stuck to his truth of the situation. "Because I screwed up." He moved too fast and scared her, Oliver knew it from the second she pulled away.

Leaning back, Julia couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're admitting defeat?"

It looked like that, but it wasn't that simple, as sometimes a step back was necessary. "Can't always get you want, right?"

"You won't if you sit around here." Picking up her purse from the table, Julia headed back towards the door. "But if you insist on acting like an eight-year-old, I'm still heading to Metropolis because I can admit that I like her." Opening the door, she looked back to Oliver. "Wheels are up in three hours...with or without you as a passenger."

Quickly getting to his feet, Oliver had to ask, "You're flying there? And since when do you take a vacation?"

Julia figured that the former was obvious, and sure, the latter was true as well, but she knew that she could use the break. "I cleared the trip with the board because you don't have any out-of-city negotiations for the next two weeks. And I had a nap this afternoon so fatigue won't be a problem." She could practically hear Oliver open his mouth, so she held her finger up to stop him from interrupting. "Yes, technically I work for you, but I've refused the last three bonuses you've given me, so how about we call us even?"

She continued towards the front door, holding the door open for Oliver and he watched as she stood at the edge of the sidewalk. "Since when do you care about my personal life?"

"I've always cared," Julia replied. "But I always thought that you could do better." While Tess was ambitious and could carry herself quite well, she and Oliver were a ticking time bomb. It was the only reason she can fathom him cheating on a woman. Lois was similar, only with worse timing and a relationship that made Julia think they were siblings or drinking buddies. "Although this time takes the cake. In all the time I've know you Oliver...I've never envisioned you as a coward before."

Oliver knew that her final comment was meant to goad him, the crazy part was that it worked. The more that he thought about it, the more he realized that line he drew between himself in Chloe... it was a little overkill. "You weren't really going to resign were you?"

"Even if I wanted to Oliver... thinking and acting are two different things. I guess we'll never know."

He laughed as he stood beside her on the sidewalk just as the Ferrari turned the corner. Initially, he figured that she was waiting for a cab, but once a couple went by, Oliver realized what she really wanted. "I should give you that car." It was a stipulation in all the bets and her weakness in all of his possessions after all.

Julia shrugged. "I wouldn't say no."

Seeing the way her eyes lit up once more as it got closer, Oliver said, "It's yours then."

"What?"

"For being there, for dealing with my... how did you phrase it? Eight-year-old tendencies?" It was more than that though, as the resignation threat hit hard, knowing that he had almost done enough to lose Julia in his life too. So the car wasn't a bribe, or at least, that wasn't the intention. It was about reminding her that she mattered more, even when it didn't seem that way.

As the car pulled up in front of them, Max emerged from the driver seat and tossed the keys to Julia, which she caught easily. However, they didn't stay in her hands for long, as Oliver snatched them. "I'll take those."

Standing stunned as he walked around to the other side, Julia felt her eyes narrow. "Um... you just gave me the car."

"She's all yours," Oliver said as he opened the car door, smiling as he looked up at her. "After we get back."

Part of her wanted to say that he had been drinking, but as she thought about it, she realized that tonight wasn't about drinking, it was about the distraction. She had been willing to wait until whatever time he got back to his building, but he was oddly early tonight, not to mention the fact he could walk in a straight line, say a full sentence. Julia had seen drunk Oliver before... this wasn't it, and better yet, he wanted to come along. So she smiled and said, "Deal."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

After the events of the previous night, Chloe was more than ready for Lois' re-appearance at her door in the morning. This time, she sat at her kitchen table and waited for the loud pounding to stop. Eventually, Chloe knew that Lois would use her key and she didn't disappoint.

Within a few steps, Chloe could see her, so she called out, "If you're looking for Jimmy, he's not here." Lois had abruptly turned upon hearing her voice and Chloe couldn't help but smile once her mission goggles lifted slightly. "He left hours ago."

Lois was slightly relieved, for while she wanted to believe her cousin when she said her and Jimmy were just friends, one never knew the lengths Chloe would go to avoid the real problem. "What did Jimbo want anyway?"

"Permission to move on. Not that it was necessary." Pouring Lois a cup of coffee, she passed it to her before returning to the coffee machine to fill up her cup. "So if it's not Jimmy that's bothering you, how about you tell me what is? No, wait, I think I know, and I told you already –"

"I've seen you look at your phone, waiting for Oliver to call," Lois interjected, knowing what Chloe said, but she didn't buy it then and she didn't buy it now. This whole thing bothered her more than she claimed, and the way Lois saw it, it was time to come clean about something she never thought she'd have to admit to her cousin.

But Chloe just scoffed, but she knew her phone lay inches from where her coffee cup had been when she was waiting for Lois to arrive. However, that was just a coincidence.

And sure, she wondered why Oliver hadn't called in a while. They didn't have a clean break, or at least, that wasn't Chloe's intention, not to mention the fact that he did call right after she left. The only reason she didn't answer was because she needed space. He took that message a little too well and it didn't help that he never left a message.

Chloe could have called, but what would have been the point? Say hi, ask how he is and then awkwardly talk as if it never happened. It took a while for them to get over their first encounter and that was when they were nothing to each other.

Lois remained standing, watching as her cousin stood in silence over her comment. This was good. "Just admit that you like him."

Chloe's mouth gaped open as she considered a proper response. The problem with a statement like that is that it forces a black-and-white answer. Oliver and her were more complicated than that. Finally finding her voice, Chloe turned around. "Lois, I _barely _know him." Which was the truth, even if they got to know each other on a very personal level.

The things she knew about him, the things she told him, it was almost like they were each other's shrinks. But the likelihood of a strictly professional relationship was never possible, leaving them somewhere in no-man's land. "Honestly, I don't know how I feel about him."

Respect, frustration, all those things existed, but genuine feelings? Chloe wasn't so sure. It was almost hard to believe that they had come this far in so little time, only to feel like they lost it all just as fast. A lot of things were hard to determine, but one thing was true.

She missed Oliver.

Lois sat down, watching the inner reflection her cousin was going through. Shaking her head as she turned her chair towards the table, Lois said softly, "If you're worried about me, you shouldn't."

"Because it wasn't that serious," Chloe replied sarcastically. "Come on Lois."

But Lois' expression didn't waver in the slightest. "You want to know the real reason he came to see me? It was because he wanted an explanation as to why I chickened out on saying goodbye properly." It almost felt like yesterday, the day she wrote the note in his penthouse and walked away from Oliver without facing him. "It took him _three_ _months _to figure out that he wanted closure."

Then Lois realized it was nearing that time period for Chloe and those words weren't going to help much. "Oliver... he had gone through a really rough patch. He wouldn't tell me why and I know he never will." He would always claim it was another wild night as a playboy, but Lois knew better. "One night, he was rushed to the hospital and being the reporter I was... I went to figure out the truth. I actually overheard the doctor saying there was a chance he wouldn't have made it."

Sitting down across from Lois, Chloe sensed some familiarity with this story. "Alcohol poisoning."

Lois nodded, wanting to know how she knew that, as the whole thing had been covered up as food poisoning in the press. But she held back, knowing it wasn't important now. "I managed to sneak in his room to ask him personally what happened. Instead of kicking me out once he recognized me, Oliver told me that he had made too many mistakes... and that was going to change."

With a smirk, Lois would explain how things escalated between the two of them, even if she didn't get the story that night. But Oliver quickly made it up to her by offering her an article on his comeback and then they started to spend more time together. "In the public eye, I was just the girl who wrote the article. Sure, there was just speculation, but nothing we did added fuel to the fire."

It didn't help that Oliver was never in town. "Then he spent two months in Beijing, one week in Berlin, two weeks in some Russian city I can't remember, all in the name of turning his company around. When he _was _in Star City, it was phone call interruptus for a media scrum, or a board meeting, or some conference call."

She remembered the day when the shit hit the fan. The exact reason Lois clouded from her mind, but her and Oliver argued for hours, leading to Lois admitting that she couldn't do this anymore. He swore to her that one day it would all blow over. "What I didn't anticipate was the fact that I left at the time he was expecting me to stay. I was something good in his life and he wanted to hold onto it."

Chloe could sympathize with that and could understand his reasoning for coming to Metropolis for that. "So what happened when he was here?"

"We went out for lunch." Even convincing Oliver to do that wasn't easy, as they almost had a throw down in the middle of the _Daily Planet_. He was mad because she left, she was mad because he was never going to be there. In fact, it took Lois leaving to realize what their relationship was. As they finished their diner pizza, Oliver realized it too. "Acknowledging the truth crushed him a little, because I was someone who didn't care about the money or the status. And he probably went out and did something stupid –"

"Like having a one night stand with your cousin?"

"But that doesn't mean—" Lois stopped as Chloe's words sunk in. "Sorry, can you repeat that?"

Rolling her eyes, part of Chloe couldn't believe that she just said that. But it was too late to take it back now. "You know the night when I got fired and I... blew off some steam."

Lois coughed. "_Him?_" But after a second of thinking about it, it made so much sense. "I didn't think you had that in you." It was a stretch enough that Chloe would have a one-night stand, but with Oliver… Lois would never have guessed that.

"Neither did I," Chloe replied as she pulled out her chair. "But I thought if I was going to try to have mind-blowing sex with someone... he fit better than anyone else."

"So he was better than a nine?" Lois teased, expecting the pink hues to appear on her cousin's cheeks.

Knowing she had already given herself away, Chloe saw no point in lying. "You would know better than anyone."

Biting her tongue to hold back her sarcastic laughter, Lois replied softly, "Except we never slept together."

Turning back around, Chloe shook her head. "Lois, there's no need to lie." Considering how long they were together, there was no way it didn't happen at least once.

"In the traditional sense, we were far from a couple." Lois attended a few events with him, all were disasters, and their dates were normally interrupted. Their friendship was solid, but romantically, Lois and him were a mess. "You accomplished in one night what I couldn't in six months." Seeing the way Chloe's mouth gaped open, Lois was ready to move this conversation in a different direction. After all, talking about her and Oliver's relationship was only going to fix so much. "So what's the story with your job?"

"Covering our asses after the photo because I really did fall asleep in that cab." She smiled as she remembered the way he took care of her that morning, as it turned out to be quite the eye-opening experience. In fact, the whole thing was the furthest thing she expected, but oddly enough, not unwelcome. "I'm not going lie and say there's not something's there."

Lois quickly rose from her chair. "Then it's about time you took something for yourself."

"But he's _Oliver Queen_."

"And you're Chloe Sullivan," Lois replied, followed by a shrug of her shoulder. "What does that have to do with getting what you want?"

**~0~**

He had heard the elevator chain rattle, wondering if Julia had forgotten something, or changed her mind about going out to get her morning coffee. But as he came into the common area, he was shocked as to who actually stood by his liquor cabinet.

Waiting silently as she poured into something into a smaller bottle, Oliver knew there was no way he could approach her without catching her off-guard, so he decided to break the silence. "What are you doing here?"

The bottle almost slipped out of her hands, but she caught it, placing it carefully on the table. _Of course, _she thought. Chloe just had to let Lois convince her to concoct this crazy plan. Out of every single possible scenario in her head, this wasn't one of them. "I... have a flight to Star City," she admitted honestly, as there is no way he would believe any lie she could fathom. "I couldn't take the whole bottle, so... travel-sized."

It sounded so stupid, the fact she was standing here, but it didn't explain how he was here. No calls, no emails, nothing for so long. She couldn't even turn around to face him because she felt so embarrassed. All she wanted was a chance to think it over before she went for it, and the world couldn't even give her that.

Taking a couple steps forward, Oliver had to admit he was quite intrigued by what she had revealed. "What business do you have in Star City?"

Hearing his footsteps coming closer, Chloe quickly closed her bottle. "Julia offered a better tour of the city." Gripping it, she begun to walk towards the elevator, giving him the smallest of smiles. "Figured you wouldn't mind if we sampled the good stuff."

"Funny," Oliver replied, not taking his eyes off her as she took off, "because she just came into town to see you." There was a small hesitance in her movements when he said that, but soon enough, she moved the elevator gate back, ready to leave. "How did you get up here?"

"Your doorman has taken a bit of a liking to me. He gave me access and told me that he'd wait for me downstairs." It almost felt like yesterday when Chloe introduced herself on her first day after the hospital incident. However, it wasn't like they had spoken much since then, so Chloe was surprised that he allowed her to come up. Then again, that might have something to do with the fact that the penthouse was currently occupied.

"You can stay if you want."

There it was, except this time, cold feet didn't even begin to describe her state. "Considering I likely just woke you up, I'm pretty sure that I should be going. Besides..." Her voice stopped as she finally looked back at him. "I...I should probably cancel my plane ticket." It started as a glance over her shoulder, but soon enough, she found herself turning around fully.

Seeing his small window of opportunity, Oliver said, "I thought a lot about what you said in Star City." Approaching his desk, he screwed the top of the bottle she left behind, smirking as his suspicions were confirmed. "I have to admit, seeing you walk away; I figured… that was it."

His whole life, Oliver wasn't great at letting people into his life, but with Chloe, it felt natural, as if he always knew her. "I actually tried to forget you, but I couldn't. It took me until yesterday to realize that I was being a hypocrite and I'm hoping in time… you can forgive me for that."

"You don't owe me anything Oliver." In fact, if anyone, she owed him more than she could ever repay, a position she didn't want to be in. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than it is."

"No big deal, huh," he said softly. "So when I kissed you… you felt nothing? Even though I'm _pretty _sure you kissed me back? Not to mention that you're here right now and out of my liquor cabinet, you managed to find the exact scotch I served to you that night."

Biting the inside of her lip, Chloe didn't know what to tell him. She walked towards the desk, standing across him as she put her travel-size portion down. There was no point to having it now. "That...was a lucky guess. And I hate to burst your bubble, but if you're looking for the woman you met that night... I'm afraid that was more the exception of my personality than the rule."

"I don't know about that," Oliver replied almost instantly, as he could always see her confidence and drive behind her nerves and insecurities. "In fact, I think you _are _that woman Chloe. After all, everyone has vulnerabilities, but that doesn't reduce the strength of your character."

Chloe shook her head, because she hated the way he seemed to her all figured out, while she was still trying to figure out who he was. "I don't get it. One minute, you're exactly who they write about and then the moment the cameras are off..."

When that happened, he was a completely different person. Even when he seemed to play up the Casanova image, there was a hint of sweetness behind it all. Or at least, there always had been when he was with her. "You could have fed me to the wolves when that photo surged. But instead, it was _your _idea to give me a job, to trust my credentials." Taking a few steps towards him, Chloe raised her head, locking eye contact with him. "So who are you Oliver Queen?"

Oliver approached her slowly, initially responding through shrugging his shoulder. "I can't think of how to answer that question without being incredibly clichéd." He could tell her that he was a man trying to change, that he had made mistakes and she made him want to be better, but that wouldn't help or hinder his case. The fact was that she was here, that she stayed when he asked, and that she hadn't backed away now that he was standing close to her. Reaching out, Oliver risked further contact, placing his fingers gently on her neck. "But does it matter?"

Her eyes still firmly looking in his, Chloe shook her head, feeling a difference between Star City and now. "No... I suppose it doesn't." Because despite the stunts he may pull, the headlines that follow him around, maybe deep down, Chloe really did know who Oliver Queen was.

After all, it wasn't heartbreak that she felt when she read those headlines; it was disappointment. The guy in those headlines never made her laugh after a long day, or send a late-night text because they were both still working. He also had this way of making her feel confident, strong, not only intimately, but also as a person. Oliver believed in her, trusted her and when he had the world at his fingertips... he reached out to her, asking her to stay.

Leaning down to touch his forehead to hers, Oliver noticed the way her breath hitched. "Say this is one-sided and I'll walk away for good, give you a full recommendation to work anywhere not under the Luthor name." He meant every word, as Oliver didn't want her to feel trapped by her situation. It helped that Chloe had more than proved herself according to her supervisor. "But that wouldn't be my preference."

Chloe sighed, as she couldn't believe how she let this slip away from so long. "How is it possible you understand me so well?" Time may have elapsed, but the actual amount of time they had spent together was minimal at best. Yet somehow, he read her like a book.

"The same way that you can see me," Oliver replied, "despite everything I've done." The crap that he pulled after she walked away, the last couple months that Oliver wanted nothing more than to take away, it seemed like Chloe was somehow willing to overlook that.

Taking a breath, he risked it, everything, one more time. There wasn't much distance, so he kissed her, a second tops, letting her know officially that what he wanted... was her.

Chloe felt her eyes shut as it happened, his breath on her cheek once he backed away and then nothing. As she opened them again, she noticed how he stepped back, causing Chloe to narrow her eyes.

"Seriously? _That's _your closer?"

Watching Oliver's reaction, Chloe felt herself laugh. "Gotta say Oliver, I had you pinned as a man of action, but if you want me to do the heavy lifting, then so be it."

Dropping her purse on the floor, she took two confident strides towards him, Oliver more than willing to meet her halfway. Her hand moved around the back of his head so that Chloe could pull him down her level and allow their lips to meet. In a way, it started as a strange sense of relief, but as the kiss deepened, everything felt right. This time, there was no animosity held in their breath and nerves were nowhere in sight.

Oliver quickly wrapped his arms around her back, pushing her close, lifting her slightly in the air. He walked her backwards, all still while holding tightly onto her and when he knew they were close, Oliver lifted her onto his desk, smiling as their lips finally disentangled. "No," he said sarcastically as he met her eyes, "you're not that girl at all." The passion took a second to kick in, but other than that, it was all there for him to experience.

Leaning towards his touch as he tucked a loose hair behind her ear, Chloe wanted to roll her eyes. "Trust me, I don't even know what I'm doing... or how this would work."

"Neither do I, but I'm in if you are."

Her cousin's ex, her boss, a public figure, not to mention the massive amount of country between them. Yet Chloe looked up at him and said, "Yeah...I'm in."

**~End~**


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